HAMPSHIRE County Council is encouraging residents to get involved in foster care and is holding a number of events as part of Foster Care Fortnight.

Running from May 15 to May 28 is Foster Care Fortnight, which this year focuses on fostering communities. 

The campaign runs annually by The Fostering Network and aims to raise the profile of fostering and how it transforms lives.

Steve, from Andover, has been fostering for 10 years and has experience looking after unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

He said: “Fostering an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child can be a lot of fun and very rewarding. We’re still in contact with two unaccompanied asylum-seeking children after six years – they came to my daughter’s wedding; they will be coming to my granddaughter’s Christening – and they are part of my family.”

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Residents will have the opportunity during Foster Care Fortnight to read stories from different foster carers on social media and on the Fostering Hampshire Children website.

Residents are also invited to find out more about fostering at a series of in-person and virtual information events, on the following dates:

  • Wednesday May 17, 10am to 4pm – Rams Walk Shopping Centre, Petersfield
  • Tuesday May 23, 10am to 4pm – The Shed, Bordon
  • Thursday May 25, 7pm to 8pm – Virtual Information Session
  • Wednesday May 31, 10am to 4pm – Queen Elizabeth Country Park, Petersfield

Cllr Edward Heron, the County Council’s Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services, said: “Our foster carers look after children from many different backgrounds and communities.

"In Hampshire and local authorities nationally have seen an increase in the number of very vulnerable, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, who the County Council is duty bound to bring into care through the national transfer scheme."

He emphasised the importance of not only "respecting and supporting identities of these children" but also providing them with a "sense of belonging as they learn to adapt". 

"It is especially important to respect and support the identities of these children, to provide continuity and a sense of belonging as they learn to adapt to what is often a completely different way of life, and to help them grow up secure in who they are.”

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Fostering Hampshire Children, the County Council’s fostering service, works to ensure that children are in the best possible placements to suit their individual needs and that foster carers are trained and supported to meet these needs.

Factors such as a child's ethnicity, culture and religious faith are considered when matching children to suitable foster homes.

Foster Care Fortnight comes as the County Council continues its search for 150 new fostering households by the end of 2023.

Cllr Heron urged anyone looking to make a difference, to consider opening their door to a vulnerable child.

He added: “With new children regularly coming into care, both locally and nationally, we always need more people to take on the role of fostering and to ensure that our community of foster carers continues to reflect the diversity of the children we serve.”

For more information, go to the Fostering Hampshire Children website