Foster Care Fortnight.
On 12th May, Surrey County Council’s Fostering Service invited me to join them for a coffee morning and lunch to mark “Foster Care Fortnight” and celebrate the vital role foster carers play in supporting children and young people across Surrey.
It was a lively and colourful event on a beautiful sunny morning in the garden of the Council’s offices, which brought together foster carers; members of the Council’s Foster Service; the Leader of Surrey County Council, Tim Oliver OBE; Helyn Clack, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning; and various partner organisations which work with the Foster Service.
It was a perfect occasion to recognise the incredible commitment shown by the foster parents and the Foster Service; to provide an opportunity for everyone to share their experiences; and to celebrate the positive impact of fostering. With so many children and young people in need, fostering is one of the most important roles within our communities and takes many different forms.
Fostering can range from Emergency Fostering, where short-term care is provided, to General Fostering aimed at provide children with a stable, long-term home. Some foster parents support parents and babies during parenting assessments, or host children with additional needs for short stays to give their families some vital respite. The Council’s Foster Service also cares for young unaccompanied asylum-seeking children needing safety and support and makes sure that it continues to support care leavers, since young adults do not automatically stop needing a stable basis of support once they reach 18.
Foster carers do a phenomenal job, providing stability and care for young people at some of the most challenging points in their lives.
Photos by James Lynch
