10 May 2017
Fostering and Adoption Jersey are launching ‘Fostering Fortnight’, a recruitment and awareness campaign, on Monday 8 until Saturday 20 May. The campaign coincides with National Fostering Fortnight in the UK and aims to highlight the need for Islanders to consider fostering.
As part of the campaign there is a pop up information site at Les Quennevais precinct on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 May from 10am to 4pm.
You can also meet the team at the Jersey Library on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May from 10am to 4pm.
The pop up sites provide open and friendly locations for you to have an informal chat and ask any questions you may have.
Margarida Olivier, Publicity Officer at Fostering and Adoption said “We want to raise awareness of foster care in the community and encourage people to open their hearts and homes to local children. Foster care is challenging but incredibly rewarding; it can help turn children’s lives around and establish hope for their future.”
Fostering at its simplest is about providing a safe, caring and stable family environment for children that are unable to live with their birth families. The department currently has 47 approved foster carers 15 of which are connected person carers. Placements can include short term care, long term care, emergency care and respite.
Emmy Lindsey, manager at Fostering and Adoption Jersey said “Providing children with high quality foster carers and adopters is at the heart of what we do. Our work as a fostering and adoption service means that we help prospective foster carers and adopters through every stage.”
During 2016 Fostering and Adoption Jersey secured five new foster families. The goal for 2017 is to recruit another 10 foster families to meet the needs of local children coming into care.
During the campaign Fostering and Adoption Jersey will also be acknowledging the role of foster carers by presenting a Foster Carers Charter. The new charter sets out clear principles on how foster carers should be treated, recognises their invaluable work and aims to encourage more people to sign up to be foster carers.
Emmy Lindsey added “The charter is important as it acknowledges that the States of Jersey recognises the excellent care, support and commitment shown by foster carers and the invaluable role they play in the lives of Jersey’s looked after children and young people.”
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