This Foster Care Fortnight (13-26 May), Calderdale Council is stepping up its campaign to recruit more foster carers, highlighting the benefits of fostering with the Council and celebrating the great work of its existing carers.
Foster Care Fortnight is the Fostering Network’s annual campaign to raise the profile of fostering and show how foster care transforms lives.
The theme for this year’s campaign is Fostering Moments and as part of this, the Council is celebrating the positive impact Calderdale carers have on children and young people in the borough.
To kick off the fortnight, Wainhouse Tower will light up blue on Monday 13 May. It will be lit again on Wednesday 22 May as a thank you to Calderdale foster families, this will coincide with a Foster Carer Celebration Event being held by the Council.
All Calderdale carers are invited to the special event which will recognise their important contributions and celebrate special fostering ‘moments’ by saying thank you for the difference they make to children and young people in the borough.
To help spread the word about joining Calderdale Council’s fostering community, a special Parkrun event is also taking place during the fortnight. On Saturday 25 May, the fostering team and foster carers will be at Shroggs Park in Halifax for the Parkrun at 9am. Anyone is welcome to run, walk or just come along to find out more information about fostering with the Council.
Fostering with the Council comes with many benefits and support every step of the way, including generous financial allowances, extensive training and development, one-to-one help, local support groups and a close community of foster carers. There are also extra incentives, including a discounts package with local businesses, free gym and swim membership for all the family in the fostering household, and the major benefit of not having to pay Council Tax – this is for Calderdale foster carers who live in the borough, to recognise their kindness and the extra challenges of the rising cost of living.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, Cllr Adam Wilkinson, said:
“This Foster Care Fortnight we’re highlighting those special foster care moments – whether big or seemingly small, these moments help our young people build confidence, create memories and ensure they feel safe and secure.
“We’re so grateful to our wonderful network of foster carers and Foster Care Fortnight is our ‘moment’ to celebrate the incredible work of our carers and the difference they make to young people across the borough. Their contribution is invaluable and I’m looking forward to attending the special celebration event during the fortnight to show our appreciation.
“The fortnight is also an opportunity to encourage more people to think about fostering. There’s lots of information for people to find out more about the process of becoming a foster carer. You’re never alone and there’s a massive amount of support available, from the initial expression of interest and throughout the fostering journey.”
Calderdale Council is also part of the Foster4YourCouncil partnership, a network of local authorities across the Yorkshire and Humberside region joining forces to support fostering opportunities and to encourage more people to consider fostering for their local authority / children’s trust.
The partnership is running a joint campaign throughout Foster Care Fortnight with the shared motivation of keeping local children and young people within their local area and increasing the number of fostering families in the region. A film has been created to amplify this message and will be broadcast on television and promoted online during the fortnight. It’s available to watch at: https://youtu.be/dmom_ddu2EQ(external link) Find out more about the partnership at https://foster4yourcouncil.org/(external link)
To find out more about fostering for Calderdale Council, visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/fostering. The website contains lots of information about the support available and benefits of fostering as well as detail about the process and commitment involved. You can also call 01422 266020, email fostering@calderdale.gov.uk or find out more on Facebook at https://en-gb.facebook.com/foster4calderdale/(external link)
Kelly and Andrew’s story
Kelly and her husband, Andrew, have been fostering with Calderdale Council for over 11 years and in this time have provided short term, long term and emergency placements for more than 20 young people in Calderdale.
They decided to foster after seeing an advert and going along to a local fostering information event to find out more about the process. They have managed their fostering alongside separate employment and with two of their own children in the household.
Kelly said:
“We have a passion for fostering siblings and thrive on a very busy household. I believe fostering has given our daughters a broader view on the world and a better understanding of people’s circumstances. They have learnt empathy and patience from their roles in the household. However, it can also be challenging for them at times, as the other children often need more of my time and reassurance.”
They acknowledge that there are challenges that go along with fostering and that anyone thinking about fostering should be ready for the ups and downs of the process.
Kelly added:
“The challenges can be really difficult at times, and it is hard to prepare for these, but the rewards can be beyond what you expect… When we took a five year old to the beach for her first time – the look on her face was priceless.”
To hear more from existing Calderdale Council foster carers, watch the films at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrLzgs-5Y10(external link) and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAH2ba-HaPk(external link)
ENDS