Foster Care Fortnight begins on Monday (12 – 23 MAY) as the National annual campaign gets under way across the country to promote the work of foster carers and encourage people to sign up to fostering.
This year Telford & Wrekin Council is asking people to “Guess who fosters?” as it focuses its theme on promoting the diversity of those who foster and how this helps to place children in homes where the appropriate nurturing environment can be provided during placements, whether short or long term.
To promote the campaign, Telford & Wrekin Council will have a drop in exhibition in the town centre outside Krispy Kreme every day of the campaign including weekends from 12-2pm each day. Anyone who thinks they may be interested in fostering can go along and find out more from a range of people including Council officers, social workers, foster carers and more. To “Guess who Fosters?” go to www.telford.gov.uk/guesswhofosters
Telford & Wrekin is always on the lookout for people with experience of looking after children and this year the Council are particularly keen to find loving, caring people who can look after disabled children, family groups of two or three children or older children and teenagers. Sarah and Rick from Telford currently foster three children, all from the same family and can see for themselves how important it is for siblings to be kept together and be placed with foster carers from the same ethnic group. They said “We both run businesses and have adapted our working hours to meet the needs of the children. “Although we had no practical experience of looking after older children, with patience and understanding we muddle through and always have professionals on hand to ask if we get stuck. “To give children hope during our lifetime is what we want to achieve and we feel through fostering out family give real hope to children who just need someone to love them.”
Councillor Paul Watling, cabinet member for Children, Young People and Families, added: “At any one time, over 300 children may require foster care in Telford and Wrekin – either short term or long tern. People interested in becoming a carer should either visit the drop in exhibition, call 01952 385385 or visit www.telford.gov.uk/guesswhofosters
