Foster carers highlight their best #FosteringMoments
Foster Care Fortnight™, organised by The Fostering Network, is the UK's biggest campaign to raise awareness about foster care. Since it began in 1997, the campaign has spotlighted the unwavering commitment and dedication of foster carers.
It also serves as a platform for fostering services to underscore the urgent need for more foster carers and foster families. Each year, thousands of new foster families are required to provide care, particularly for teenagers, sibling groups, children and young people with disabilities, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
The theme for this year’s Foster Care Fortnight™ is #FosteringMoments and celebrates those moments in fostering journeys, both big and small, that build confidence, provide safety, and create lasting memories. Everyone in the fostering community is being encouraged to share their meaningful moments - whether it’s meeting a child for the first time or a child requesting their favourite meal be made for all the foster family, so many moments as a foster carer are incredibly special.
We asked CoramBAAF’s Foster Carer’s Advisory Committee to share their #FosteringMoments:
“Whilst shopping for clothes, our young man, who had lived with us for around a year, told us ‘I am ready for you to start giving me hugs now’.”
“I was asked what I liked about the child in my care and my immediate answer was ‘they are so easy to love’.”
"All any of these children want is to belong and to be loved.”
“When our young man handed us his nightlight and said ‘I don’t need this anymore. All my memories used to be bad but now I have so many good memories that I don’t get scared in the night’.”
“I think my job is to give these children hope. I want them to have hope for their future, for a life that can be filled with possibilities. What an amazing job, to give hope to others that will hopefully see them through the rest of their lives.”
“I have been looking after a sibling group from the ages of 6yrs & 7yrs. Who are now 15 & 16yrs. My 16yr old foster son, has now been given a scholarship onto Chelsea FC, I felt proud of helping him on that journey and continue to support him through his journey.”
Foster Care Fortnight™ is a time to reflect on the vital role of foster carers and fostering services across the UK. This campaign continues to shine a light on the growing need for families to consider whether they could foster a child or young person.
The purpose of the Foster Carers Advisory Committee is to guide CoramBAAF on practice, to influence Government policy and assist in developing publications and training opportunities. CoramBAAF also hosts Fostering Practice Forums and Independent Fostering Providers Practice Forums.