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Literacy for children in foster care in Northern Ireland gets a boost on World Book Day

03 March 2008

The Fostering Network Northern Ireland and Include Youth are to launch a new DVD on World Book Day to help improve literacy and numeracy amongst children in foster care. Children in foster care often struggle at school because of gaps in education and disruption in their lives.

The DVD, which is accompanied by an educational pack containing games, puzzles and software to encourage creative thinking, will be launched at a storytelling event on Thursday 6 March at the Linenhall Library in Belfast.

Looked after children attending the event will enjoy a story brought to life by Belfast performer Fra Gunn. There will also be a chance for children to create their own stories using the new interactive computer software.

This educational pack aims to encourage reading and writing skills amongst children in foster care who often struggle to achieve their full potential. The overall educational outcomes for children in care are significantly below those of the rest of the population. Only 11 per cent of children in care in Northern Ireland get five or more good GCSEs, compared with 59 per cent of the general population. Over half leave school with no qualifications whatsoever.

Research from the Literacy Trust reveals that a love of reading is vital to educational success, but that young people’s enjoyment of reading may be declining.

Hugh McAllister, project manager of the Fostering Achievement scheme, said:

"It is vital that children in primary school not only learn to read but love to read, if they are to do well later on. If we wait until they are doing their GCSEs it may be too late to help them achieve their potential.

"Children in care are no less able than the rest of the population, but often they have suffered neglect and a disrupted education. These new materials will really help foster carers focus on helping their foster children develop the language and literacy skills they need to do as well as their peers."

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Notes to Editors

  1. For media enquiries contact Christina Donnelly on 028 9070 8732 or email christina.donnelly@fostering.net.
  2. The event will take place on Thursday 6 March at the Linenhall Library, Belfast, 10am to 12 noon.
  3. The DVD with supporting educational pack and software suite is aimed at primary school children and is available to all foster carers in Northern Ireland who look after this age group. The educational pack will be released for distribution March 2008.
  4. The Fostering Achievement scheme is an innovative and practical scheme which was launched in September 2006 to equip and support foster carers in Northern Ireland, so that they can help those children and young people in their care to gain a sense of achievement and to realise their potential. For more information see www.fosteringachievement.net.
  5. The Fostering Achievement Scheme is managed by a partnership of the Fostering Network and Include Youth. The Fostering Network is the UK’s leading charity for all those involved in fostering, and exists to ensure that fostered children receive the highest standards of care. Include Youth is an independent organisation that actively promotes the best interests of and best practice with young people in need or at risk.
  6. 1,274 children live with 1500 foster families on any given day in Northern Ireland. Some of these families provide short breaks only and the Fostering Network estimates that there are 200 children waiting for long term foster families.