The Fostering Network has launched a new programme of work aimed to enable more young people in care to get their voices heard, and to increase their involvement in shaping services that affect them. 

The Fostering Network in Northern Ireland, and education minister John O’Dowd MLA, were joined by over 120 foster carers, social workers and young people, in celebrating the achievements of over 40 young people at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum on Saturday 10 October.

In response to prime minister David Cameron’s speech at the Conservative Party conference, Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network said:

In response to the announcement that a record number of children are living in the care system in England, Jackie Sanders, director of public affairs at The Fostering Network, said: 

"With record numbers of children in care in England, the role of foster carers in providing homes for children who can't live with their birth families is more important than ever.

The enormous contribution made by the families of foster carers is being celebrated this October by The Fostering Network as the charity launches its annual Sons and Daughters campaign.

The Fostering Network in Wales is holding a conference to discuss permanence in foster care on Tuesday 1 December.

The Westminster Government’s fostering ambassador Lorraine Pascale joined around 150 foster carers and fostered children to celebrate educational achievement at the Science Museum on Wednesday 23 September.

More than 120 foster carers, social workers, and looked after children and young people are joining The Fostering Network Northern Ireland and Belfast Trust Fostering Service at the annual Fostering Achievement Awards in Belfast this weekend. 

In response to the announcement that the Scottish Government are to invest £10million in equalling kinship care allowances locally to those of foster carers, Sara Lurie, director of The Fostering Network Scotland, said: “The Fostering Network in Scotland is calling for a commitment from the Scottish Government to introduce minimum fostering allowances, and therefore parity from service to service, following on from their promise to bring kinship care allowances to the same level as fostering allowances.

Having been successful in achieving recognition of the need for official national minimum rates, The Fostering Network will not be making further recommendations on the levels of fostering allowances from the beginning of the financial year 2016-17, after many years of making such recommendations. Instead we will now take on the role of critiquing national minimum recommendations and influencing local decision-making about the setting of allowances.