Could you be a foster carer? That is the question that will be asked by the East Riding fostering team during Foster Care Fortnight (16 to 29 May 2016).
The theme for this year’s Foster Care Fortnight is ‘Time to foster, time to care’ and the team is urging people who are thinking about becoming foster carers to do it now.
In the East Riding, there are currently 213 children in foster care, and East Riding of Yorkshire Council is looking to recruit around 20 to 25 new carers each year.
Throughout the UK, a child comes into care in need of a foster family every 20 minutes. This means that during Foster Care Fortnight over 1,000 children will require a foster family.
The East Riding fostering team is looking for foster carers of all ages and is particularly keen to find suitable carers for children aged five and above, and long-term placements.
Dave Glenville, East Riding fostering team manager, said: “Fostering can be fun, tough, rewarding and challenging – sometimes all at the same time! We, and importantly the children and young people we are caring for, need foster carers.
“We need people with enthusiasm, resilience and a very strong desire to help children and young people. Fostering changes lives and makes a very real difference.”
Potential foster carers are invited to an information event at Tickton Grange, near Beverley on Wednesday 25 May, at 6pm.
People interested in becoming a foster carer will have an opportunity to talk to fostering social workers and discuss suitability; meet foster carers and their birth children; talk to looked-after young people and hear about their experiences; and find out about free professional training.
Prospective foster carers should ideally be over 25. They can be single, married or co-habiting. People with or without families, heterosexual, lesbian or gay, can be foster carers.
The East Riding fostering team will be raising awareness of the need for more foster carers when they take part in a sponsored four-mile walk on Sunday 22 May from Sewerby Hall grounds to Bridlington and returning to Sewerby.
Anyone interested in finding out more about becoming a foster carer can contact the team on (01482) 396469 or email: fish@eastriding.gov.uk .