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.
Three hundred and fifty more foster carers are needed in Northern Ireland to provide homes to vulnerable children and young people and Foster Care Fortnight, which runs until 27 May, will be asking people throughout the province to think about helping to fill this gap. The current shortage of foster carers means some children are unnecessarily moved from home to home, far from friends and family and are separated from siblings.
In order to promote fostering to a wide range of people and raise the vital funds needed to support foster carers, the Fostering Network Northern Ireland is to hold a Black Tie and Diamonds Ball on Saturday 18 May.
The ball, which aims to raise £10,000 will also celebrate the work of foster carers and in particular, the contribution made by the winner of Northern Ireland’s foster carer of the year competition. The winner, who will be announced at the ball, will be presented with an award in recognition of their hard work, dedication and support to looked-after children in the province.
While the ball promises to be a glamorous social event, the evening will also convey a serious message about the need to find more foster carers and will aim to widen understanding of what is involved. Though lots of people have heard of fostering, most do not realise that they may be suitable or that there are many different types of fostering, from short-term placements that require one weekend a month to others that last for many years.
To illustrate the diversity of those who foster, three faces of foster care have been selected from Northern Ireland to tell their stories and to appear in a specially commissioned photographic exhibition, which will be on display at the ball. The faces of foster care reflect the diverse range of ages, skills and backgrounds that are needed to care for the equally diverse children in care in Northern Ireland on any given day.
Kate Lewis, director of the Fostering Network Northern Ireland, says:
“A broader pool of foster carers will make it easier to find the right home for each child first time. This campaign aims to let people know about the different types of foster care that exist. People can foster full-time or combine fostering with a job outside the home. As long as you have the space, time and commitment, there is a type of foster care out there to suit you. The other way people can help is by making a donation to the Fostering Network Northern Ireland so that we can provide the support and help that foster carers need.�?
Face of foster care participant, Josephine McClelland, said:
"When the first child arrived in the house it took some getting used to. Our own children had all flown the nest, so we were used to living in our own quiet comfort zone. But once I was used to having a child back in the house, I really enjoyed there being a bit of noise and having someone to run to school in the mornings. I felt complete again. I have had several careers in my life, but nothing as rewarding as this."
The Fostering Network Northern Ireland is urging anyone interested in fostering to visit www.fostercarefortnight.co.uk, where stories and images of all the faces of foster care can be found.