Northern Ireland news

An inspirational woman from Annaclone near Banbridge, who has been fostering children for more than 15 years, has been named Foster Carer of the Year Northern Ireland 2013.

The Letterbox Club, funded in Northern Ireland by the Fostering Network as part of Fostering Achievement in partnership with the Northern Ireland Government, today celebrated its ten year anniversary with a prestigious event at Stormont.

The Fostering Network Northern Ireland has been awarded almost £400,000 by the Big Lottery Fund to run a range of services and activities aimed at helping young people in foster care.

Children and young people who come into foster care and subsequently leave have many challenges to face and this money to create new services and activities will help them with these difficult aspects of their lives.

The Fostering Network today gave evidence to the Northern Ireland Education Committee on addressing educational disadvantage among looked-after children.