#WhyWeCare - Foster Care Fortnight 2021
As Foster Care Fortnight begins today, we wanted to join the campaign to raise awareness of the need for fostering families in the UK as members of the leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network.
Foster Care Fortnight is an event that runs annually to raise the profile of fostering in the UK and to give voices to fostering families and young people who have grown up in foster care. Be sure to follow the campaign using the Hashtags #WhyWeCare and #FCF21 to see the fantastic stories coming from the fostering world over the next two week.
Find out more about the campaign or donate to The Fostering Network here
Why the need for Foster Families?
Every 20 minutes another child comes into care needing a foster family in the UK. Every day there are about 65,000 children living with 55,000 foster families (as of 31st March 2020).
Fostering offers children and young people a home when they are unable to live with their biological parents. Sometimes children only stay with a foster family for a few days, while others will live with their foster family for their entire childhood and beyond. Many of these children have experienced abuse or neglect prior to coming into care. Fostering is often their first positive experience of family life.
It is so rewarding knowing that we provide a safe family environment for children who might otherwise grow up in residential care. Knowing that we are able to make a positive difference makes us so happy.
Despite the trauma experienced by children coming into care and their difficult start to life, good foster care can help to transform their lives and enable them to flourish. Fostering offers children a safe and caring home and plays a big part in supporting them to maintain links with their birth family.
There is a need for thousands more foster carers every year. Foster carers come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a wide range of life and work experiences with them. They work as part of a team of professionals and receive training to develop the skills required to meet the needs of children in their care. Alongside this professionalism, they offer children love, warmth and stability.
What does a Foster Carer do?
Foster carers provide children with their day-to-day care and much more. They may have to help these children come to terms with difficult or traumatic experiences. They will support children in their education, look after their health and promote social wellbeing. The role is varied and challenging, and also includes attending meetings, keeping records, receiving training & development managing behaviour and promoting contact with birth families. Foster carers are supported by their fostering service to work with social workers and children's services to promote the best positive outcomes for the children in their care. Find out more here.
There are many types of ways that a family can provide foster care. Find out more about some of the types of fostering that families can get involved with here.
Who are the children needing care?
Children and young people in care come from very diverse backgrounds, and may come into care from a young age or in their late teens. For this reason, a diverse range of carers from all walks of life and experiences are needed to bring their quality skills and learning to help these children.
One of the main groups of children in care desperately needing more families registered as foster carers is children with disabilities or additional health, learning, social or communication needs. These children could benefits from carers with experience in SEN education such as teaching assistants, and others with practical experience such as nursing or care professionals, you may have fantastic transferrable skills that you could bring to the fostering role to change the life of a child.
