Foster Care Fortnight 2022

Foster Care Fortnight is running from Monday 9 May until Sunday 22 May this year.

This year’s theme is ‘fostering communities’ and The Fostering Network hope to shine a light on the many ways people across the fostering community support each other.

Foster carers make a real difference to the lives of young people and the fortnight aims to raise awareness and celebrate the strength and resilience of fostering communities, and all they do to ensure children are cared for and supported to thrive.

Blackburn with Darwen are looking to recruit 20 new fostering households this year. Carers that can take teenagers and siblings are a priority but foster carers from all walks of life are needed.

Some of the support and benefits of a foster carer include:

• A generous financial allowance, which will depend on your skill level and the age of the child, you are fostering.
• Comprehensive training programme including the ‘Journey to Foster’ course and ongoing development opportunities.
• A social worker specifically allocated to you. You can expect to receive regular meetings, which are a chance for you to talk through any problems and share information about children in your care.
• Support groups for you and your family.

There are two weeks of activities for both existing carers and children and specific marketing events across the borough.

Cllr Julie Gunn, Executive Member for Children’s Services, said:

We are very excited about all the events taking place this fortnight to support and raise awareness about the amazing work of our foster carers. Thank you to everyone who has organised these events and I hope they are a big success.

Jayne Ivory, Director of Children’s Services added:

Foster carers provide so much day-to-day care and support. The love and stability they offer to children and young people can’t be measured. They accomplish incredible things every day and we value them dearly. Foster Care Fortnight is an annual and important campaign that seeks to highlight all that foster carers do. Blackburn with Darwen urgently needs more foster carers to make sure fostered children can live with the right foster carer for them. If you’ve ever considered fostering, please contact us on the numbers below.

Throughout the fortnight, The Fostering Network will be running events, sharing content on social media channels and making as much noise as possible about the transformative power of foster care.

To get involved use the hashtags #FCF22 and #FosteringCommunities on social media.

To find out how you can start your fostering journey go to letsfoster.co.uk or speak to one of the team on 0800 328 6919.