Foster for Knowsley appeals for more foster carers

Knowsley Council is stepping up its search for foster carers, launching a bright, colourful and thought-provoking campaign to urge more people to consider caring for a child.

The ‘Foster for Knowsley’ campaign aims to raise awareness of what fostering is, dispel myths about who can be considered as a foster carer, and encourage more people to consider fostering as a viable and rewarding career.

Foster carers are urgently needed to provide care for vulnerable children when their own families are unable to, for a variety of reasons such as ill health or family problems. A child may need short term care for just a few nights, or longer term care that can last months or even years.

Knowsley is particularly keen to hear from people who are able to care for sibling groups, as well as older children.

Foster caring is extremely rewarding and carers are paid for the care they provide. They can even chose to progress their caring career by taking part in additional training which allows them to earn additional payments, similar to a wage.

The latest recruitment campaign reminds people what fostering really means to the young people who are cared for – depicting images which remind people that “the little things make a big difference” to a child – such as spending quality time with them, listening to their worries and fears, enjoying positive relationships with their carer and enjoying activities that many children take for granted.

Cllr Graham Wright, Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services at Knowsley Council, said: “We have some wonderful foster carers in Knowsley who provide excellent care to vulnerable youngsters at a critical time in their lives.

“Like every area in the country, we are always looking for more foster carers. There are no set rules about the ‘type’ of person we’re looking for, so if you enjoy spending time with children and young people and think you have what it takes to change a young life, please get in touch.

“Talk to any of our current foster carers and they will tell you that fostering can be an incredibly rewarding career choice, whatever your age or circumstances. So if you’ve ever considered it, and want to find out more, please get in touch with Knowsley Fostering Service.”

And the Foster for Knowsley campaign also has the backing of long-serving foster carers, Brenda Archer and Carol Donoghue, who came to see the new taxi advertising for themselves. Both have looked after hundreds of young people during fostering careers that have lasted four decades.

Brenda said: “I started fostering because I wanted to give children what my own children had, and it continued from there.

“As long as you’ve got some love, patience and time, and you’re compassionate, that’s all children need. They need to know they’re wanted.”

The campaign is supported by a new Foster for Knowsley Facebook page, aimed at anyone interested in fostering, whether long-serving foster carers, newly approved, or just considering the possibility at the moment. The page can be found at www.facebook.com/FosterforKnowsley

Look out for the Foster for Knowsley ads on local Black Cabs, and if you, or anyone you know is interested in finding out more call Knowsley Fostering Service on 0151 443 3958, or fill in the online form on the council’s website www.knowsley.gov.uk (search for ‘fostering’). You can also email adoption.fostering@knowsley.gov.uk.

PHOTO: Cllr Graham Wright (in the driver’s seat) and foster carers Carol Donoghue and Brenda Archer check out the fully branded taxi which is part of a campaign to encourage more people to Foster for Knowsley.

ENDS

For more information, contact:

Gemma Melling

Communications Officer (Media)

Knowsley Council

0151 443 3537

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