Foster Care Fortnight highlights shortfall in prospective foster parents

The fortnight, which began on May 11 and runs until May 24, is an annual event to celebrated the huge difference fostering makes to the lives of children and young people.

A spokesman for the fostering care service said: “Over the last eight weeks lots of us have talked about heroes.

“Foster carers are heroes every day of the year. During this pandemic, foster carers are looking after vulnerable children and young people, whilst coping with all of the stresses of lockdown, like everyone else.

“In Northern Ireland, more than 2,800 are in foster care, however, we desperately need more foster carers. With the Covid-19 creating more uncertainly and instability in our society than ever before, the need for foster carers who can provide love, safety and security has never been greater.

“During the next two weeks, we aim to raise awareness of the success stories of fostering, and the desperate need for more foster carers across Northern Ireland.

“We have lots of foster carers who will be sharing their stories over the course of Foster Care Fortnight, foster carers who have made a difference in the lives of many children and young people.”

Kindercare Fostering is a non-profiting making Fostering Agency, covering all of Northern Ireland. It works in partnership with all five Trusts across NI to find safe and secure foster placements for children in need.

Foster Care Fortnight is an annual campaign to raise the profile of fostering and to show how foster care transforms lives. It is also the UK’s biggest foster carer recruitment campaign. Foster Care Fortnight 2020 will take place from Monday 11 to Sunday 24 May.

While families in are struggling to cope with the necessary restrictions of the coronavirus crisis, more than 2,500 children are living away from their birth families, with foster carers.

During Foster Care FortnightTM, 11-24 May, The Fostering Network is celebrating the incredible work of all 2,100 foster and kinship foster carers across Northern Ireland, who continue to provide daily support, love and stability to children and young people in the face of the huge uncertainty brought about by the global pandemic.

Jenny and Mark exemplify the important contribution all foster carers make to children in care in Northern Ireland. Fostering for 13 years, they are currently looking after three boys, one of whom has additional needs and is self-isolating, so the entire family is staying indoors. They say they are taking the situation one day at a time and trying to make lockdown as positive an experience as possible for the boys.

Jenny said: “We are taking everything in our stride and making the most of our time together.

“The boys have adapted well to home schooling. We are doing lots of baking and creative activities. We are really proud of how well the boys are doing given how abnormal the situation is."

Kathleen Toner, Director of The Fostering Network in Northern Ireland, said: “Foster Care Fortnight is the perfect time for us to show how much we value and support foster carers across Northern Ireland.

“We have seen many acts of generosity and kindness since the current crisis began and this has included people reaching out to support vulnerable families.”