Foster Care Fortnight takes place between 1-14 June 2015. The annual awareness campaign aims to encourage a diverse range of people with the right skills and qualities to foster to come forward to meet the needs of children in care.
With a shortage of around 10,000 foster carers across the UK, more foster carers are needed to provide children with safe and caring homes while they are unable to live with their own families. The focus of events during the fortnight are to encourage more people to foster and think about what it takes to give a child a loving home.
If you’re new to fostering, would like to find out more of what fostering is and what foster carers do or even to see whether fostering may be for you then visit the official website at: https://www.fostering.net/could-you-foster#.VWzDC89Viko.
Fostering is not easy, you need to have the energy, patience and dedication to care. It gives you the opportunity to make a huge difference to children’s lives!
Foster carers can provide care in emergencies, caring for a child for just a few days, or perhaps over a weekend to give the main foster carer a break, known as 'respite' foster care. It can be for longer periods, sometimes throughout a child's formative years up to the age of 21.
Around 30,000 more children come into care over the course of a 12 month period. Around two-fifths of the children in care are aged 11 to 15, and finding people with the right skills to look after teenagers is now the top priority for fostering services.
Children come into care for a whole range of reasons, including a family member’s short-term illness or a parent’s depression or drug or alcohol misuse. Some children may have been abused or neglected. Foster carers can give families a chance to sort out their problems by providing children with a home and supportive family for as long as they need.
If you think you have the skill set, love, patience and above all time for a foster child then please use the link to the website and follow the 'Apply To Foster' steps.
We wish all foster parents and children the best of luck and well wishes for the future!
