Our work with children and young people

The Fostering Network works with children and young people aged 25 and under who are on the edge of care, have experience of or an interest in care, including the sons and daughters of foster carers. Young people bring a wealth of knowledge and experience that helps our organisation and other agencies influence and inform developments in fostering.

Through involvement with the Fostering Network, young people have the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of foster care, gain skills and experience that can be transferred to their CVs, and develop a sense of their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

• Our work around sons and daughters helps bring attention to the contribution of sons and daughters to fostering.
• Forgotten voices - the Fostering Network Scotland worked with young people to produce three videos containing the thoughts and feelings of young people with experience of foster care. Download the video or purchase copies from our office in Glasgow.
• The Leading Our Lives project in England has provided training to 30 young people on media and campaigning and training for 55 people to enable them to sit on fostering panels, and produces a newsletter for young people called REVO.
• We are campaigning to see every young person being given the opportunity to stay with their foster family until they are 21.
• The Fostering Achievement project in Northern Ireland has now provided educational support to 90 per cent of young people in foster care, offering financial support for everything from computers to driving lessons.
• Young people got involved with our work on delegated authority in Northern Ireland last year, resulting in an original DVD that explored the difficulties they face when foster carers are unable to make everyday decisions on their behalf.