AN APPEAL has been launched to find committed and resilient people interested in becoming foster carers for a pioneering new scheme.

Trafford's Me2 project aims to turn around the lives of youngsters, aged 10-16-years-old, who have challenging behavioural problems and are currently in care.

The scheme is based on a social learning model first developed in Oregan, in America more than 30 years ago.

The specialist fostering team intends to support ten children by 2008 and over the next few weeks a recruitment advertising campaign - featuring characters like Spike' - will invite potential careers to apply.

The structured programme, that has a 66 per cent success rate, provides young people with social, educational, health and mental care and takes up to 12 months to complete.

Programme manager Jo Warburton said: "For people who volunteer it's not a job, it's a way of life. Carers get daily contact with the team: including 24-hour telephone support.

"They also get help from a psychologist who will support the young person and the carer in managing behaviours and an education worker will work with the child at home, at the centre or in getting the child back to school.

"A family therapist also works with the child's birth family where possible. In the right circumstances they will return to the family - where this isn't possible we would support them moving into a mainstream foster placement.

"Me2 will be a success due to a small number of children being carefully selected, given a high level of support and motivated to change and learn new ways of behaving."

Me2 foster careers don't need any formal qualifications, but ideally will have some experience of working with children and only people with no other children under 18-years-old living at home will be considered.

The scheme also requires you to be prepared to be at home full time - but if you are a couple only one of you needs to do this.

Carers will receive a professional fee of £21,588 per year, paid breaks and an age related allowance to cover the young persons expenses.

For further information contact Me2 Fostering on 0161 912 3969.

Trafford is one of only two councils in Greater Manchester to trial the scheme after receiving a grant of £400,000 from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

Nationally the £11m project has seen the establishment of 19 centres providing Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care'.

Before rolling out the project the government's national implementation team received training in America where the project first began. For further information visit www.mtfc.com or www.oslc.org