Welcome to Foster Care Fortnight 2022!
This is my seventh Foster Care FortnightTM as chief executive of The Fostering Network, and each year I like to kick off the campaign by celebrating all of those involved in fostering for the vital role they play in the lives of children in foster care.
I am delighted to welcome you to Foster Care FortnightTM 2022 with this year’s theme #FosteringCommunities.
We are all part of many communities, be they geographic or otherwise. I live in a village in Wiltshire and am part of the village community. I am a charity CEO and am part of the third sector and CEO’s community. I am part of the WOMAD community and regularly attend the festivals. I am also part of a gardening community, where I enjoy growing my own veg. But the one I am most proud to be part of is the fostering community – where together we make a positive difference. We do this through the practice of fostering, campaigning, fundraising for foster care and supporting foster carers. This list goes on of things we do in our large and vital community!
The fostering community has many characteristics – empathy, perseverance, flexibility, creativity, patience, humour, stability, resilience, and love. The list of what makes us such a fantastic community goes on.
So, this Foster Care Fortnight I want to celebrate our success together. Let’s recognise how we transform children’s lives and make a real difference to so many people. And of course, I also want to encourage others to come and join us! We are a welcoming community, which we want to see grow and thrive.
Children and young people are also a vital part of communities. This includes their family, school and friend’s communities. It also expands to the groups they are part of through their interests and hobbies. As their fostering community, it’s our role to support and encourage them to remain in and feel connected to the communities they are part of.
Because of a shortage of foster carers, children and young people are too often moved away from the areas they know and are separated from family and friends. This Foster Care Fortnight I want you to join us in the fostering community by becoming a foster carer, supporting foster carers or fundraising for The Fostering Network. You can campaign with us to make foster care the very best it can be, and ensure young people remain an integral part of their communities.
As the fostering community, we all have a responsibility to support children that come into foster care in whichever way we can. So, no matter your age, location, religion, gender, relationship status or sexual orientation, we welcome you. Join us in making even more of a difference this Foster Care Fortnight and beyond.
You can take part in the conversation on social media using #FCF22 and #FosteringCommunities. Join one of many events taking place in your community and sign up to Foster Walk or donate to those who are walking.
However you choose to get involved, I hope you all have a fantastic Foster Care Fortnight!
Best wishes
Kevin Williams
Chief Executive
