Croydon celebrates Foster Care Fortnight 2020

Croydon Council will be celebrating the hundreds of local foster carers who transform children and young people’s lives by offering them safe and caring homes, during Foster Care Fortnight 2020.

Foster Care Fortnight takes place from 11-24 May and for Croydon, the event is particularly special. With the largest population of under-18s in London, the borough looks after around 800 children and young people in care – more than anywhere else in London. Of these, around 400 children are placed with our Croydon foster carers.

Over the next fortnight, the council will be sharing stories from local foster carers on its @YourCroydon social media channels – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram – and encouraging others who may be considering fostering to get in touch and find out more.

This year’s theme is This Is Fostering, and the council will be highlighting local foster carers, the important contribution they make and the positive impact fostering has had on young people and their lives.

Taianne, a young person with care-experience, said: “Taking on a child or a young teen that’s not yours can be very challenging, because you’re not sure whether or not the child has got over their trauma, and it’s up to you to be that special person who can make them smile again.

“A foster carer can make a difference to a young person in lots of ways – from taking care of their basic needs like trips to the dentist or joining the gym with them so they don’t feel shy; bringing them a pastry from the supermarket, or taking them on holidays, so they don’t miss out on special memories just because they are in care.”

But it’s not only the young people who benefit from fostering. Pat and her husband have fostered many children of various ages, and she described how fostering transformed her life, as well as the lives of those she has cared for.

She said: “It’s something we consider to be an absolute privilege – we’re really, really passionate about fostering. It is the most incredible journey, and sometimes it makes you sad, when you think about what the children have been through, but it makes you so happy when you see the improvement. Our life has been very exciting because of it and it’s something that we really like to do.”

“In Croydon we are incredibly privileged to look after so many wonderful children and young people, and we couldn’t do this without our equally wonderful foster carers. They are truly special people, from a huge range of backgrounds and in different circumstances – single people, couples, older residents and younger residents – but they are united by one thing – they offer safe, caring homes to children in need. I want to thank them all, for everything they do – they are the very best of Croydon. I also want to send out a personal appeal to the caring residents of Croydon who feel that they could offer a home to a young person to please get in contact with the council to find out more about the process and consider helping to transform a life just like Taianne’s”

Councillor Alisa Flemming, cabinet member for children, young people and learning

Have you always thought about fostering? Croydon Council is recruiting now, with virtual information sessions available throughout Covid-19. For more information visit our webpage, email Iwanttofoster@croydon.gov.uk or phone 0300 222 2112.

2021-08-20T15:34:37+01:00 May 7th, 2020|Recent news|