The unique film project, developed and funded by the West Midlands Regional Fostering Recruitment Forum and councils around the country, is aimed at helping to find more foster carers who can provide homes for the children and young people who need them.
The short film, called Out There, highlights the ways fostering can make a difference to the lives of everyone involved, from the children and young people who live with foster carers, to those who come forward to care for them.
Councillor Beverley Momenabadi, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “While we already have many brilliant foster carers in Wolverhampton, the reality is that we always need more people to open their homes and their hearts to fostering.
“This project has been a brilliant way of working together to produce a high quality film that will be a real asset to our recruitment of new foster carers in our city.
“The aim is that this film will be shared on social media in cities, towns and villages right across the UK, reaching countless people and showing them the many benefits fostering brings and helping children and young people into safe, nurturing homes and we are very proud to have played a part in making it happen.”
A total of 34 local authorities have been involved in the project, and the film had its premier today. Everyone attending the launch from the participating councils and children’s trusts will be asked to share the film across the UK using the hashtags #FosterForYourCouncil and #findthebestofyou.
Jazmine Walker, the council’s Head of Service Children and Young People in Care added: “By being a part of this project, we can see that we get the best benefits from pooling resources. The time, knowledge and expertise that working as partners has brought to this project can now help the children and young people in our area.
“Our previous films have been really well received and have directly led to more people coming forward to foster, and so this time we thought we should be more ambitious and take a national approach, and we are very proud of the result.
“Out There is a beautifully poignant film which really captures many of the thoughts and emotions being felt today, particularly as many people have reflected during the pandemic about their life choices and the importance of community support.”
Out There follows earlier partnership projects between councils in the West Midlands that have produced the award winning fostering films Giants and There was a Boy. To watch the film, visit Fostering for Wolverhampton or search for ‘Fostering for Wolves’ on Facebook.
To find out more about Fostering for Wolverhampton, book onto one of the online information events or call 01902 551133.
