Foster Care Fortnight

In 2011 Foster Care Fortnight will run from 16 to 29 May.

This year’s Foster Care Fortnight saw government ministers, the media, foster carers, young people and fostering services join the Fostering Network to call for more people to come forward and consider a career in fostering.

Under the strapline Do you have the skills to foster? the campaign highlighted the personal and professional skills needed to be a modern foster carer and raised awareness of the rising numbers of children needing foster homes.

The Fostering Network and fostering services across the UK ran events and activities to mark the campaign, which took place from 17-30 May. Government ministers joined the Fostering Network and foster families in Cardiff and Glasgow to launch balloons to represent the shortage of foster carers.

In Northern Ireland, the Fostering Network joined foster families and foster children for a gardening and cooking event at an allotment for children in care in Carrickfergus. The Foster Carers of the Year, Sharon and Marty Weir, were announced at the Hearts of Diamonds Ball in Ballymena.

In London the new children’s minister Tim Loughton chose to come to the Fostering Network for his first ministerial visit since taking up the post. He met foster carers and heard from staff about the work of the Fostering Network.

Elsewhere the call for more foster carers received widespread media coverage including GTMV, Five News, BBC Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live, The Times, Sun and Daily Express. The Independent and Daily Mirror featured special supplements on fostering and news appeared across regional and local TV, radio and newspapers.

Further information

The Fostering Network’s press office can provide news, features and case studies to illustrate how foster care is changing and the many different types of fostering, as well as experts to talk on a range of fostering issues. For media enquiries contact the Fostering Network press office on 020 7620 6425, or media@fostering.net.

For more information on Foster Care Fortnight contact Helen Clarke on 020 7620 6407 or email helen.clarke@fostering.net.

If you are thinking about becoming a foster carer and would like more information or have any questions please visit the Could You Foster website. Alternatively you can contact Fosterline, an advice service on fostering on 0800 040 7675 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Wed until 8pm; calls are free from UK landlines but calls from mobile networks may be charged) or email fosterline@fostering.net.