High Street visits, coffee breaks and online chats planned for second week of Foster Care Fortnight

Wiltshire Council's fostering team is touring the county again this week as staff chat to people to help dispel myths around who can foster.

The team has already spoken to dozens of people who have dropped by to listen to what it means to be a foster carer for Wiltshire Council, as they toured the county last week.

This week the tour will be taking in Tisbury, Amesbury, Five Rivers at Salisbury, Royal Wootton Bassett, Tidworth, Malmesbury and Westbury, with information on who can foster and why it should be with your local council. The council is non-profit making and helps to keep children in the local area.

For people wanting to talk to foster carers to find out more, there will be a coffee morning 'drop in' to chat from 11am to 2pm on Saturday 21 May at Coffee #1 Trowbridge.

For those who prefer to find out more online there will be an online information session on Tuesday 24 May at 7pm. People will need to use Microsoft Teams to access the session.

Two years ago the council started a campaign to recruit 100 additional foster carers by spring 2023. So far, 61 additional fostering families have joined the council. Fostering with a local council means all money is spent on frontline services and the child is more likely to be able to stay close to their school, friends and family networks.

Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: "Thank you to all our amazing foster carers who provide a safe, warm home for young people who have often gone through the most difficult times and need that stability and reassurance to help them find their way.

"If you are just curious or seriously thinking about fostering then please take the opportunity to come and talk to us or join our other events, including our online information session. We are here ready to speak to you without any obligation; you can just find out more and whether fostering is right for you. So many young people have explained how fostering has changed their lives for the better - you can be one of those people to make that change."

Cameron Strawson works at Wiltshire Council and has experience of being in care in the past. He says fostering is a fantastic opportunity to give back to your community.

He explained: "Fostering is a fantastic opportunity to give back to your community. For me personally, I was in foster care and that's helped empower me, it changed my life completely and flipped it to a real positive. So if you're thinking about fostering get in touch with Wiltshire (Council) and you can be part of an amazing journey in improving the lives of young people."

People who foster with Wiltshire Council are given training and continued support. Payments reflect the commitment carers are making to the role and have recently been increased. There are different fostering schemes available ranging from £357 to £663 a week, depending on people's skills and experience.

For more information, visit www.fostering.wiltshire.uk email fostering@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window), call 0800 169 6321 or text the word Foster to 60002.