Media release archive

Media releases from 2007:

• The Fostering Network's development worker is crowned children and young people's champion
  The Fostering Network’s development worker for children and young people has won a prestigious award for her valuable work with children and young people in care.

• The Fostering Network appoints advertising agency to help recruit more foster carers
  Leading charity, the Fostering Network has appointed My Agency to develop a promotional campaign to recruit more foster carers.

• The Fostering Network welcomes new Government Bill but care leavers will still lose out
  The needs of young people leaving the care system are not given sufficient priority in the Children and Young Persons Bill published today, Thursday 15 November, according to leading charity, the Fostering Network.

• Foster carers in England are subsidising the state, says new survey
  Too many foster carers are subsidising the state, according to a new survey launched today, 9 October, by leading charity the Fostering Network.
• Foster carers in Wales need allowances to make ends meet, says the Fostering Network
  Many foster carers in Wales will be left struggling to cover the costs of fostering until the Assembly Government introduces a compulsory minimum allowance, warns leading charity the Fostering Network Wales.
• Scotland leads the way on allowances for foster carers, says survey
  The number of local authorities in Scotland paying realistic allowances to their foster carers has nearly doubled in the last 12 months, according to a new survey published today by the Fostering Network Scotland.

• Recognise foster carers as professionals, says the Fostering Network
  Foster carers should be seen as professionals and rewarded for their vital contribution to improving outcomes for society’s most vulnerable children and young people, the Fostering Network says this week.

• BBC helps recruit more foster carers and adopters
  Leading charity, the Fostering Network is supporting a new BBC campaign calling on the general public to consider becoming a foster carer or adopter. With over 70,000 children and young people in care on any given day the BBC’s Family Wanted Campaign aims to encourage potential new foster carers or adopters to find out if they have what it takes to make a difference to the life of a local child.

• Leading fostering charity awarded grant from the Roald Dahl Foundation
  Leading fostering charity, the Fostering Network has been awarded a grant of £17,000 from The Roald Dahl Foundation to support a project aimed at improving the literacy levels of children in foster care.

• Statement from the Fostering Network on the death of a fostered child in a swimming pool
  Robert Tapsfield, chief executive of the Fostering Network said: “The case of the 17 month-old girl in foster care in Portsmouth who recently drowned in a swimming pool is extremely tragic. It does however reinforce the need to ensure that a full assessment of the foster carer and their surrounding environment is conducted before a child is placed in their care.

• Leading charities welcome new guidelines to protect children in care
  The Department for Children, Schools and Families have launched new guidelines to help protect vulnerable children in foster care. The guidelines have been produced after close consultation with two leading children’s charities, the Fostering Network and the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF) and the CRB.

• The Fostering Network Wales appoints new director
  Leading charity the Fostering Network have appointed Freda Lewis as the new Director of the Fostering Network in Wales.
• Foster carers honoured at national awards ceremony
  The Believe in Me Awards ceremony for adults working with children and young people in care will be held today (12 July) in central London. BBC’s Emily Maitlis will be presenting the awards ceremony and a host of other stars including Melinda Messenger and Dr Tanya Byron will be in attendance.

• Charities call for ban on bin bags for children in care in Wales
  Leading charities concerned with the welfare of children in care are to launch a campaign to ban the current practice of moving children’s belongings in black bin bags. The campaign, This is not a suitcase, aims to encourage all local authorities in Wales to sign a charter outlawing the use of bin bags and to ensure funds are available for the purchase of suitcases.
• Elusennau'n galw am Waharddiad ar Sachau Ysbwriel ar Gyfer Plant dan ofal yun Nghymru
  Y mae elusennau blaenllaw sy’n ymwneud â lles plant dan ofal yn mynd i lansio ymgyrch i wahardd yr arfer cyfredol o symud eiddo plant mewn sachau ysbwriel duon. Nod yr ymgyrch, Nid siwtces mo hwn, yw annog yr holl awdurdodau lleol yng Nghymru i lofnodi siarter sy’n gwahardd y defnydd o sachau ysbwriel a sicrhau bod cyllid ar gael i brynu siwtcesys.
• Government invest £4 million into foster and kinship care in Scotland
  The Fostering Network welcomed today’s announcement of a £4 million package for foster and kinship cares in Scotland. The money will be spent on a range of initiatives including a £1,000 training allowance for each fostering household, national guidelines for dealing with abuse allegations and guidelines to boost recruitment.

• White paper on children in care
  The Fostering Network has welcomed the publication of today's white paper on children in care, but warns that the exclusion of a national registration scheme, lack of plans to increase payments to foster carers and insufficient funding to implement proposals could leave thousands of children without the quality of care they need.
• Impact of the smoking ban on foster carers
  Leading charity the Fostering Network believes that all fostering services should move towards a position where children and young people in care are only placed in smoke-free homes.

• Statement on the discontinuation of Family Finder
  The Fostering Network has announced the discontinuation of Family Finder, the publication that helped find a foster home for children in care in England and Wales.

• Young people from care become inspectors of services
  A ground breaking new project, giving young people who have been in care a chance to inspect local authority children’s services will be launched tomorrow, Wednesday 6 June at the House of Commons.

• A step towards professional foster care: new training standards launched in England
  Speaking at today’s launch Robert Tapsfield, chief executive, the Fostering Network said: “The standards mark a significant step forward in the development of a skilled and professional foster care service. Strengthening the quality and consistency of the training for new foster carers will help improve the lives of the children they foster.

• Northern Ireland foster carer of the year announced
  The winner of the competition, Angela McCallister from Carrick has been a foster carer for over ten years and was nominated by her foster daughter, Rachel. She will win a weekend in Paris in recognition of the dedication and devotion shown to the children in her care.

• New campaign launches to improve foster care for children in Wales
  Leading charity, the Fostering Network is to launch a major national campaign, Foster Care Fortnight on Monday 14 May to improve opportunities and outcomes for children in foster care throughout Wales.
• New campaign launches to find hundreds of foster carers in Northern Ireland
  Leading charity the Fostering Network Northern Ireland is to launch a major national campaign on Monday 14 May to call on the general public to consider becoming a foster carer.
• New campaign launches to improve foster care for children in Scotland
  Leading charity the Fostering Network Scotland is to launch a major national campaign, Foster Care Fortnight, on Monday 14 May to improve opportunities and outcomes for children in foster care throughout Scotland.
• New labour leader must prioritise children in care for social exclusion measures to work
  The needs of children in care must be given greater priority by the new Labour leader if measures to tackle social exclusion are to succeed, says leading charity the Fostering Network.
• Y mae ymgyrch newydd yn cael ei lansio i wella gofal maeth i blant yng nghymru
  Y mae’r elusen flaenllaw, y Rhwydwaith Maethu, yn mynd i lansio ymgyrch genedlaethol fawr, Pythefnos Gofal Maeth, ddydd Llun, y 14eg o Fai er mwyn gwella cyfleoedd a chanlyniadau i blant mewn gofal maeth drwy Gymru i gyd.

• Fifth of London's most vulnerable children forced to live 20 miles from home
  Over a fifth of foster children in London are placed at least 20 miles from home – a much higher proportion than the rest of the UK – because there are not enough foster carers to meet demand within the capital, says leading charity the Fostering Network.

• Thousand of East of Englands most vulnerable children forced to live at least 20 miles from home
  Almost 1,000 foster children in the East of England are placed at least 20 miles from home, government figures reveal. These foster children have to travel for hours to visit friends and family. Many also face having their education disrupted as they are forced to move to a school closer to their foster family.
• Nearly 500 of East Midlands' most vulnerable children forced to live at least 20 miles from home
  Nearly 500 foster children in the East Midlands are placed at least 20 miles from home, government figures reveal. These foster children have to travel for hours to visit friends and family. Many also face having their education disrupted as they are forced to move to a school closer to their foster family.
• Thousand of North East's most vulnerable children forced to live at least 20 miles from home
  A thousand foster children in the North East are placed at least 20 miles from home, government figures reveal. These foster children have to travel for hours to visit friends and family. Many also face having their education disrupted as they are forced to move to a school closer to their foster family.
• Nearly 1,000 of North West's most vulnerable children forced to live at least 20 miles from home
  Almost a thousand foster children in the North West are placed at least 20 miles from home, government figures reveal. These foster children have to travel for hours to visit friends and family. Many also face having their education disrupted as they are forced to move to a school closer to their foster family.
• Thousand of South East's most vulnerable children forced to live at least 20 miles from home
  Almost a thousand foster children in the South East are placed at least 20 miles from home, government figures reveal. These foster children have to travel for hours to visit friends and family. Many also face having their education disrupted as they are forced to move to a school closer to their foster family.
• Many of South West's most vulnerable children forced to live at least 20 miles from home
  Over 500 foster children in the South West are placed at least 20 miles from home, government figures reveal. These foster children have to travel for hours to visit friends and family. Many also face having their education disrupted as they are forced to move to a school closer to their foster family.
• Thousand of West Midlands' most vulnerable children forced to live at least 20 miles from home
  A thousand foster children in the West Midlands are placed at least 20 miles from home, government figures reveal. These foster children have to travel for hours to visit friends and family. Many also face having their education disrupted as they are forced to move to a school closer to their foster family.

• Thousands of foster carers needed - could you help
  Leading charity, the Fostering Network is to launch a major national campaign on Monday 14 May to call on the general public to consider becoming a foster carer.

• Blair fails children in care
  The needs of children in care have been neglected and given insufficient attention by Tony Blair say leading charity, the Fostering Network.

• Statement from the Fostering Network on the foster carer Eunice Spry
  Robert Tapsfield, chief executive of the Fostering Network said: "The case of foster carer Eunice Spry demonstrates the vulnerability of children living away from home and reinforces the need to ensure those in private foster care receive the services and protection that they are entitled to.
• The Fostering Network welcomes proposals for children in care in Northern Ireland
  The Fostering Network has welcomed the publication of today’s consultation Care matters in Northern Ireland - a bridge to a better future.

• Most foster families struggle on a low income
  According to a new report published by the Fostering Network on 6 March, the majority of foster carers are very poorly paid and many receive no income from fostering damaged and vulnerable young people.
• Most foster families in Scotland struggle on a low income
  According to a new report published by the Fostering Network on 6 March, the majority of foster carers are very poorly paid and many receive no income from fostering damaged and vulnerable young people.
• Most foster families in Wales struggle on a low income
  According a new report published by the Fostering Network on 6 March, the majority of foster carers are very poorly paid and many receive no income from fostering damaged and vulnerable young people.
• Mwyafrif teuluoedd maeth Cymru yn brwydro ar incwm isel
  Bach iawn o dâl y mae'r mwyafrif o ofalwyr maeth yn ei gael ac nid yw llawer ohonynt yn cael unrhyw incwm am faethu pobl ifanc agored i niwed ac wedi’u niweidio, yn ôl elusen flaenllaw Rhwydwaith Maethu.

• Is the image of foster care responsible for recruitment crisis?
  Does the public perception of fostering hinder fostering services’ efforts to recruit and retain foster carers? With a national shortage of 10,000 foster carers, this is the question leading foster care figures from across the UK are gathering in London on 1 March to answer.

• Don't condemn foster carers to financial hardship, top charities urge minister
  Seven top child care charities are today (5 February) urging the Welsh Assembly Government not to condemn foster carers in Wales to financial hardship by introducing an inadequate system of national fostering allowances.

• Northern Ireland celebrates success of scheme to boost education of fostered children
  The Fostering Network Northern Ireland and Include Youth are to celebrate the success of a Government-funded initiative to improve the educational achievement of fostered children, at an event to be held in Belfast, on Monday 5 February 2007.

• Leading fostering charity awarded grant from the big lottery fund to help young people in foster care
  Leading fostering charity, the Fostering Network has today (Wednesday 17 January) been awarded a grant of £863,659 from the Big Lottery Fund to support a project that gives care experienced young people a ‘voice’ in society. Leading our Lives, a three-year project, will enable young people to influence the development of fostering services in the future.

• Minister launches new advice line for foster carers in Wales
  A new advice line for foster carers, their families and fostering services in Wales will be launched today (Tuesday 16 January) at the National Assembly For Wales.
• Gweinidog yn lansio llinell gynghori newydd ar gyfer gofalwyr maeth yng nghymru
  Fe fydd yna linell gynghori newydd ar gyfer gofalwyr maeth, eu teuluoedd a gwasanaethau maethu yng Nghymru yn cael ei lansio heddiw (dydd Mawrth, 16 Ionawr) yng Nghynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru.

• Deputy Lord Mayor helps the Fostering Network prepare for charity ball
  The Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Ruth Patterson has pledged her support to the Fostering Network’s Black Tie and Diamonds charity ball, which takes place on 18 May 2007 in Belfast City Hall. The ball forms part of Foster Care Fortnight 2007, the UK-wide campaign to attract more people into fostering.