Cornwall Council is launching a fresh appeal for more people to consider becoming Foster Carers, at the start of Foster Care Fortnight.
Foster care provides vital care to children and young people and is at the heart of our communities, enabling children to stay with foster families, local to everything they are familiar with such as their friends and school.
Cornwall Council needs more foster carers who can look after babies, younger children, teenagers and brothers and sisters to keep them together, along with carers willing to provide short-breaks for children in our communities with a disability. Cornwall Council also needs a smaller number of foster carers to care for unaccompanied asylum seeking children under the age of 16.
Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Barbara Ellenbroek, said: “Fostering transforms the lives of children by providing safe and stable environments for them to thrive and we have a dedicated recruitment team on hand to take your call. We can progress your enquiry by phone or video call initially, tell you all about fostering and talk you through the process.
This Foster Care Fortnight (taking place from Monday 9 to Sunday 22 May) Cornwall Council wants to join with other authorities across the country to celebrate the strength and resilience of our fostering communities, and all they do to ensure children are cared for and supported to thrive.
Barbara continued: “All carers receive training, 24 hour access to support, along with allowances. As a foster carer you need to have the time, patience and determination to support and help vulnerable children and young people who are living away from their families. You will need to be over 21 and have the flexibility in your life to be a foster carer.
According to data a child comes into care every 20 minutes across the UK, often from very challenging circumstances where they might have experienced abuse or been neglected. Or there might have been family illness, a breakdown in relationships or a young person may have arrived unaccompanied from abroad.
In Cornwall, we need more people who are willing to open their homes and their hearts to welcome vulnerable children and young people and provide them with care, stability and consistency.
Please visit the Foster in Cornwall website today for more information and to apply.
