Teachers displaced by the schools shake-up are being urged to take up a new challenge - as full-time professional foster carers.

Social workers are desperate to recruit a new breed of foster carers to care for 12 disturbed teenagers who are in expensive units far away from Bradford. Social workers believe they will be better off nearer home but they need specialised care.

In return for looking after them, foster carers will receive £400 a week (around £17,000 per year) which compares favourably with the wages of residential social workers. People with experience of teaching could be well qualified.

Brett Cooke of the Fostering Challenge scheme said: "We are mindful of the shake-up in education, there are a lot of teachers worried about how they are going to be redeployed and not happy about the changes. We are distributing flyers about the scheme to schools."

Councillor Mike Young, chairman of the social services committee, added: "We are looking for well-qualified people, and teaching qualifications would count."

For information about the Fostering Challenge programmes call (01274) 754331.

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