OUR HISTORY
Foundations Matter falls under the Cornerstone UK family. Cornerstone was launched on January 2nd 1999 as a ‘not for profit’ voluntary fostering agency. A subsequent change in legislation meant that the original directors, who were foster carers themselves, could not continue to foster and run the same agency. As a result between April 2002 and the end of 2005 Cornerstone was part of a larger organisation.
On March 31st 2006 Cornerstone NE was established as an Independent Fostering and Post-Adoption Support Agency in its own right. We are specialising in offering permanent homes to children in the care of Local Authorities with one of the original directors, Pam Birtle returning in 2014 as CEO once again.
On March 31st 2006 Cornerstone NE was established as an Independent Fostering and Post-Adoption Support Agency in its own right. We are specialising in offering permanent homes to children in the care of Local Authorities with one of the original directors, Pam Birtle returning in 2014 as CEO once again.
Our Vision
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For Children:
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Our Mission
- Offering unique peer-to-peer support in regional clusters
- Offering tailored training and support for carers, extended family, friends and church communities
- Offering in-house Play Therapy and Support Workers if needed
- Providing a Cornerstone/Foundations Matter Annual Family Holiday with those who ‘get it’
- Ensuring a seamless transition from Fostering to Adoption, while continuing the same excellence with the same Social Workers
- To ensure the best outcome for everybody
OUR Principles
Foundations Matter aims to improve the future for children in the care of Local Authorities by finding loving ‘forever’ homes where they can grow and develop to the best of their abilities.
- All carers are Christians, but the children obviously have a right to choose what they believe.
- All children have a right to experience positive family life and values, encouraging a sense of belonging and identity, which will help them to move more successfully into adulthood.
- Every child placed with a view to permanence is regarded as a family member with all the usual relational rights and privileges that this would entail.
- Respite carers will be seen as ‘extended family’.
- The skills, knowledge and services of a wide range of professional and lay people are designed to ensure that each child reaches their potential and that families are adequately resourced and equipped for the task.
