Ofsted Judges Lancashire Fostering Service Outstanding

Fostering a child is a great responsibility and can be quite challenging, so it is great when your hard work is recognised.

Lancashire’s fostering service has been given the ultimate accolade by Ofsted and judged as outstanding.

The service, which is responsible for placing hundreds of looked after children with foster carers in the county – is Outstanding, according to the Ofsted report.

The Ofsted inspection was carried out just after the Evening Post launched its fostering campaign to urge 1,000 new enquiries from foster carers within six months.

The campaign was launched on October 3 and has already almost hit its goal with around 948 new telephone and online enquiries since the start of the campaign.

Ofsted inspectors were shown cuttings of the Evening Post campaign and were impressed.

County Coun Geoff Driver, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “I could not be more pleased about this judgement – it is so well deserved.

The accolade is especially well received by the fostering service as it was judged ‘unsatisfactory’ and the foster carers showed a lot of commitment to improve their performance since the last review four years ago, amid cost cutting measures as well.

County Coun Susie Charles, cabinet member for children and schools, said: “Surely fostering is one of the most important roles any local authority can carry out. It is our chance to enter the life of a child in need and help turn things around. I know we have a fostering service which is second to none. Now the rest of the world knows it too.”

This article was written whilst researching Dublin foster care.

The Worst Financial Investments You Can Make

Be warned: investing in these items could leave you with more regret than cash!

Many financial guides will tell you about investments that are a good idea, but what about the bad investments that you should avoid?

All investments are not created equal, and there are some things that just do not make financial sense to purchase. These investments will not be worth the large price tag, and might actually make you lose money in the long run. Avoid them at all costs.

A New Car

It is not a good financial decision to borrow money to purchase an asset that will quickly depreciate. Brand new cars cost a lot of money, and they lose a huge percentage of their value as soon as you drive them off the car dealer’s property. When you buy a new car, you pay much more than you need for extras that will not add to the value when the car is resold. A real estate purchase will usually appreciate in value over the years, but when it comes to cars the opposite occurs.

Instead of buying a brand new car, purchase what you need and make the most of it. Go for a resale which is a few years old to still get a great car for a less expensive cost, as well as cheaper insurance fees.

Timeshares

Timeshares are a holiday property scheme where you buy shared interest in an apartment or condominium in your favorite sunny tropical getaway. You will “own” a fraction of the property and be able to use it for a few designated weeks of the year. Although the sales pitch will sound enticing on the surface, timeshares are rarely ever a good investment. Just like a new car, the value of a timeshare immediately decreases approximately 50% as soon as you take ownership. Also, most timeshares demand maintenance fees which can quickly add up over the years. It is a much better idea to save money for your holidays each year.

Get Rich Quick Schemes

Have you ever heard the expression that “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is?” Remember this the next time that you see a website that promises to teach you how to make a fortune over the internet while sitting at home in your pajamas, if only you will purchase the introductory e-book for £79.99? These types of pyramid schemes and get rich quick scams prey on lazy people who think that they can make big money with little effort, and they are almost always not worth the investment.

Any Investment that You Don’t Understand

It is unwise to throw your hard earned money into anything that you don’t have a complete understanding of. There are so many different ways to invest your money, and some are more complex than others. If you don’t understand the type of investment you are choosing, you can be at risk for making bad decisions and losing money instead. Always do your research before bringing your money to the table.

These are a few of the worst financial investments that you can make, so avoid spending your money on these bad choices and keep your your hard earned cash in a savings account while you look for some profitable investments instead!

Business Awards Deadline Looms

Irish businesses wishing to enter the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards have until 30th November to get their entries in.

Entries have been pouring in from across Ireland and businesses can put themselves forwards for up to two of the eight categories. The categories range from Innovation & Emerging Technology Award, International Business Award, Social Entrepreneurship Award and Best Business Start-up Award. Also included are Family Run Business Award, Green Business Award, Agriculture, Food & Drink Award and Service Business Award.

Companies will be judged on a variety of factors, from financial performance to achievements and innovative development of products and services.

Declan Fitxgerald, Managing Director of Ulster Bank’s Business Banking said:

“The Awards is about recognising and rewarding business success. Throughout each stage of the awards, participants are exposed to a wealth of potential customers and investors.

“An extensive media campaign gives our provincial and national winners a platform to showcase their success on a national and regional level. Each year, we also activate a rigorous online campaign where provincial winners are given their own dedicated web-page on the Business Achievers Awards website.”

Go to www.businessachieversaward.com for further details.

This post was written whilst researching online bank accounts.

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