Foster Care Fortnight 2010: Do you have the skills to foster?

Thursday, 19 November, 2009

Who:

The Fostering Network, the UK’s leading charity for all those involved in fostering, will launch Foster Care Fortnight, its annual campaign to recruit more foster carers.

When:

Monday 17 to Sunday 30 May 2010.

What:

The campaign, under the strapline Do you have the skills to foster?, will encourage people to consider a career in fostering and focus on the personal and professional skills that a modern foster carer needs to fulfil their role as a child care expert.

Fostering is changing and as child care experts foster carers play a vital role in caring for and supporting fostered children alongside a team of other professionals. Foster Care Fortnight 2010 will highlight the changes needed to recruit and retain more foster carers, in line with The Fostering Network’s Together for Change campaign. The campaign was launched in October 2009 and aims to encourage everyone involved in fostering to work together to make the system work for every fostered child and every foster family.

The Fostering Network’s press office can provide you with 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.

Why:

There is a shortage of 10,000 foster carers across the UK. More foster carers are needed to provide children with safe and caring homes while they are unable to live with their own families. A diverse range of people with the right skills and qualities to foster are required to meet the needs of children in care.

Notes to editors

  1. Download a Foster Care Fortnight 2010 press pack.
  2. For media enquiries contact the Fostering Network press office on 020 7620 6425, or media@fostering.net
  3. There are 53,000 children and young people living with foster carers in the UK on any given day. There are almost 43,000 foster families across the UK.
  4. The Fostering Network is the UK’s leading charity for all those involved in fostering, and aims to make life better for fostered children and the families that care for them.
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