A drive is on to recruit at least 200 new foster carers in Northern Ireland over the next year alone in order to provide more children in care with the stable homes they need.
That is the call being issued by the Fostering Network at an event in Belfast today.
The headline figure, sourced from a survey of all health and social care trusts, has been published to coincide with the launch of the charity’s annual awareness
campaign, Foster Care Fortnight, which begins this week.
Promoted with the message, “Fostering: recognise the qualities you’ve got”, the campaign is aimed at encouraging more people to realise that they may already share the qualities of those currently fostering and that these are the essentials for becoming good foster carers.
Kate Lewis, director of the Fostering Network Northern Ireland, explained it is hoped the recruitment drive will highlight the everyday qualities required for the fostering of children and teenagers.
She revealed: “In particular, we’re looking for people who can offer long-term homes to children and those who have the qualities to take on the challenges and rewards of fostering teenagers, such as patience, listening skills, understanding, energy and empathy.”
To find out more about becoming a foster carer, visit www.couldyoufoster.org.uk or contact 0800 040 7675.
The full article contains 226 words and appears in News Letter newspaper.
