Foster Care Fortnight: York celebrates its fostering community

City of York Council is celebrating the ‘life changing’ impact its foster carers have on the lives of children and young people as part of the national celebrations for Foster Care Fortnight celebrations (18-25 May).

The authority works with over 120 foster carers – its fostering community – to support children and young people who aren’t able to live with their birth families, many of whom have faced significant challenges in their young lives.

The council is always looking to recruit more foster carers to its community. Being able to place local children and young people with local foster carers enables them to be cared for in their own communities, without having to move school or leave the support of friendship groups or family networks.

The theme of this year’s Fostering Fortnight is ‘fostering communities’ and the council is inviting all its foster carers and fostering team members to take part in a walk round Rawcliffe Bar Country Park on Saturday 27 May starting at 10am, providing an opportunity to celebrate the amazing work they do.

Local residents will also be able to chat to members of the council’s fostering team at Monks Cross shopping centre from 11.30am-2.30pm on Friday 19 May.

As a fostering friendly employer – one which supports staff who are foster carers, including by giving them additional days’ annual leave to carry out their fostering responsibilities – the council will also be encouraging its own staff to consider fostering with an information fair at its West Offices headquarters on Thursday 25 May.

Martin Kelly OBE, the council’s Corporate Director of Children and Education, said: “Our foster carers really do change the lives of the children and young people they care for. The positive impact they have lasts long after the children have moved on.

“We’re looking for foster carers from a wide range of backgrounds, with different life experiences to match to the babies, children and young people who need secure loving homes to help them fulfil their potential.

“Many people consider fostering when their own children have left home and they have a bit more time and space, while others foster children and young people alongside their own children. Some have previous experience of working with children, young people or vulnerable adults, and others know people who have been in care or who have been foster carers and just want to help transform a life. What they all have in common is a desire to help nurture and support local children and young people.”

To find out more about how you can help local children by fostering call visit www.york.gov.uk/fostering or call 01904 555678.