Monday (1 June) marks the start of Foster Care Fortnight 2015, the UK's biggest foster carer recruitment campaign, and members of the city council's for Fostering for Wolverhampton Team will be out over the next 2 weeks offering advice and guidance to individuals and couples who are interested in becoming foster carers.
There are currently dozens of youngsters in Wolverhampton waiting for a foster home and the Fostering for Wolverhampton Team is keen to hear from people who want to find out more about this vital role.
Nationally, the Fostering Network, which is behind Foster Care Fortnight, estimates that at least 8,370 new foster families are needed in 2015 alone.
Councillor Val Gibson, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "Here in Wolverhampton, we already have more than 200 foster carers who combine a desire to help children with a dedication to providing the best possible care.
"They support scores of young people but we also have a further 40 youngsters who need a loving foster home and we urgently need more people to come forward to carry out this vitally important role.
"Our Fostering Team will be out and about at various locations in and around Wolverhampton over the next two weeks and are looking forward to meeting people who are interested in becoming foster carers or who want to find out a little more about what the role entails."
The drop in sessions are as follows:
- Monday 1 June: Morrisons, Bilston, 9.30am to 3pm
- Tuesday 2 June: Wolverhampton Market, 8.30am to 2pm, Bushbury Triangle Children's Centre, 9am to 11.45am
- Wednesday 3 June: Central Library, Wolverhampton, 9.30am to 2pm
- Thursday 4 June: Asda, Wolverhampton, 9.30am to 3pm
- Friday 5 June: Civic Centre, St Peter's Square, 9.30am to 4.30pm
- Sunday 7 June: Fostering Network Fun Day, West Park, 11.30am to 5.30pm
- Monday 8 June: Central Library, Wolverhampton, 9.30am to 2pm, Sainsbury's Wednesfield, 9.30am to 3pm
- Tuesday 9 June: Wolverhampton Art Gallery, 10am to 2pm, Sainsbury's, Wolverhampton, 9.30am to 3pm
- Wednesday 10 June: Morrison's, Pendeford, 9am to 2pm and Sainsbury's Wednesfield, 9.30am to 3pm
- Thursday 11 June: Morrisons Pendeford, 9am to 2pm , Asda, Wolverhampton, 9.30am to 3pm, WV Active Aldersley, 4.30pm to 8pm
- Friday 12 June: Wolverhampton Market, 8.30am to 2pm, Waitrose, Wolverhampton, 10am to 3pm
- Saturday 13 June: Willenhall Carnival, Willenhall Memorial Park, 10am to 4pm
Foster carers can be sole carers, married or in a relationship and they won't be on their own as help and support is available 24 hours a day. Placements can be anything from a few days to a number of years, and they receive a regular, tax exempt allowance to cover the cost of bringing up the child.
The city council's foster carers receive 6 months' support from experienced foster carers who will guide them through the system, while supervising social workers provide intensive support for the first six weeks of a placement and then every month thereafter. Foster carers can get help from their peers via a dedicated support line. Crèche facilities are even available if foster carers need to attend training sessions or meetings.
Councillor Gibson added: "Fostering can be a truly life changing experience, both for the foster carers and the young person they care for, and we'd love to hear from people who are interested in helping local children thrive by fostering."
For more details, people are invited to attend one of the drop in sessions listed above. Alternatively, please visit Type=articles;Articleid=3758;Title=Fostering; or call 01902 551133.
- released: Thursday 28 May, 2015