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Campaign launched to attract more foster carers

This news article was published more than a year ago. Some of the information may no longer be accurate.

Published: 29/01/2014


With approximately 100 children and young people coming in to care each year in South Gloucestershire, we need to attract more foster carers – especially for teenagers – to come forward to open up your home and help make a difference to a young person’s life.

There are around 80 households in the district currently providing foster care for a range of children and young people, offering a mixture of long term and short term care, but more are needed to meet a growing demand.

We are calling on local organisations, from the police to sporting clubs, parents’ groups to youth organisations, to support our campaign by raising awareness among their members and staff to help us recruit more carers.

Cllr Ian Blair, Chair of South Gloucestershire Council’s Children & Young People Committee, said: “We are facing a shortage in the number of foster carers in the area and we need more people to come forward and provide what is a vitally important role in a child or young person’s life.

“Children and young people, including siblings, need stability and someone to care for them, as well as guiding them through an important time in their life. We’re seeking families, couples and individuals from all backgrounds who can welcome often vulnerable children into their homes and bring new opportunities into their lives.

“The important thing is that our carers have the time and patience to care for a young person, child or siblings.”

We are seeking carers who can provide long term placements in addition to short term and emergency care when needed. Foster carers can be from any background and don’t have to be married or in a relationship; they can be a same sex couple. We are also on the lookout for people to become Share the Care carers and provide short breaks for disabled children and young people, including those with learning difficulties or autism. This could be as little as providing an overnight stay a month to a child.

Nationally there are more than 62,000 children in foster care but there remains a shortage of carers, with at least 9,000 more needed in 2014.

If you think you could welcome a child into your home we would be keen to hear from you. Please call 0800 2061443 or visit our website for more details at www.southglos.gov.uk/fostering


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