Find out more this Foster Care Fortnight
This Foster Care Fortnight (10-23 May 2021), find out more about foster care and how you could help change young people’s lives by attending a virtual information session hosted by Richmond Council’s children and foster care service – Achieving for Children (AfC).
Every year, tens of thousands of children across the UK need foster carers while they can’t live with their own families. That means thousands of new foster carers are needed every year. Could you be one of them?
AfC is hosting three one-hour long online information sessions on fostering where you will have the opportunity to find out more and ask questions.
· Fostering Information Session on Wednesday 12 May at 12.30pm
· Fostering Information Session on Thursday 20 May at 5.00pm
· Family Link Fostering Information Session on Thursday 13 May at 11.00am
Family Link fostering is when you provide an overnight short break service for children and young people with disabilities. Please register your interest of attending by emailing: fostering@achievingforchildren.org.uk
There are currently 53 children in foster placements in Richmond upon Thames. Across England there is a staggering 80,000 children in care (March 2020 DfE). On average approximately 100 children will enter the care system each day over the next year. The need for foster carers has never been greater, whether it is for emergency or short-term care, to support with respite providing short breaks through the year, or offering long term care often for our young people.
Foster carers are needed from all walks of life to look after children of differing ages who have come into local authority care through no fault of their own. Whatever your background, culture, religion, ethnicity, sexuality or relationship status, if you can recognise and empathise with that desperate need for security and nurturing – you could be the right person to be a great foster carer.
Being a foster carer is not easy and it takes a special kind of person to do it. However, if you are at all interested, or simply want to find out more, please do not hesitate to visit www.afcfostering.org.uk for more information or call 07894 229 788.
Cllr Penny Frost, Chair of the Education and Children’s Services Committee for Richmond upon Thames, said:
“Foster carers are heroes, and I would like to thank all the foster carers in the borough who make an incredible difference to the lives of young people.
“We need new foster carers and welcome residents from all backgrounds to open up their hearts and homes for young people currently in care through no fault of their own. Fostering gives children a safe and caring home until a permanent solution is found.
“If you are interested, attend one of Achieving for Children’s information sessions and find out more this Foster Care Fortnight.”
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