The initiative aims to recruit more foster carers to help children remain close to their familiar environments, including their schools, friends, families, and local communities. The partnership emphasises that fostering is not a single role but encompasses various ways to support children and young people, catering to different skills, experiences, and personal circumstances.
Available fostering types include short break care, providing planned care for children, particularly those with disabilities or additional needs, through regular overnight stays, weekends, or school holidays. This offers children new experiences while supporting families.
Supported lodgings assist young people aged 16 to 21 in developing essential life skills like cooking and managing money as they prepare for adulthood. Specialist foster care offers additional training and support for carers looking after children who require extra help due to their experiences, health, or development.
Parent and child fostering supports parents needing help with their parenting skills, providing a safe environment for them to learn and build confidence while caring for their baby. Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Lead Cabinet Member for Fostering for the East Midlands, stated that fostering comes in many forms and opportunities exist for people from all backgrounds.
Fostering comes in many different forms, and there are opportunities for people from all backgrounds and circumstances to make a difference. You do not need to be a certain type of person to foster. What matters is having the time, patience and commitment to support a child or young person. By working together through Foster for East Midlands Councils, our four councils can provide more support for carers and help more children remain connected to their local communities. We would encourage anyone who has thought about fostering to take that first step and find out more. You may be surprised by the type of fostering that could be right for you.
The campaign encourages individuals not to rule themselves out, highlighting that various fostering roles can fit different lifestyles and circumstances. Whether providing short-term care, regular breaks, or longer-term support, every foster carer contributes to the stability and future opportunities for children and young people. The Foster for East Midlands Councils team is available to answer questions and provide guidance throughout the process, with no obligation to proceed if fostering is not the right fit.
