Foster Care Fortnight

Our high profile media campaign reaches millions of potential foster carers across the UK each year. In 2010 Foster Care Fortnight runs from 17 to 30 May.

This year, under the strapline Do you have the skills to foster? the campaign will focus on the personal and professional skills a modern foster carer needs to fulfil their role as a child care expert.

During the two-week campaign, fostering services around the UK hold events to encourage people to come forward and foster. The events are often imaginative, innovative and fun and have previously included the burial of time capsules, balloon launches, tree planting, floats in local parades, face painting and coffee mornings. The one thing the events always have in common is the opportunity for people to meet existing foster carers and find out more about fostering in their area.

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.

Getting ready for Foster Care Fortnight

The Fostering Network has set up a discussion forum for our members to share best practice and ideas ahead of the campaign to help fostering services get ready for this year’s Foster Care Fortnight. By logging on to the members' area of the Fostering Network website, fostering services can discuss topics such as generating coverage in local media, working with care experienced young people as media case studies and involving local celebrities in their campaigns.

Members of the Fostering Network will be able to download a guide to help them make the most of the campaign from the members' area of the Fostering Network website.

Further information

For more information on Foster Care Fortnight and how your fostering service can get involved, 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 the Fostering Network Infoline on 020 7261 1884 or email info@fostering.net.