Foster Care Fortnight 2022 is taking place 9-22 May 2022
with a focus on the strength and resilience of fostering communities. Foster
care is the most common placement type for looked after children, therefore the
annual campaign aims to raise the profile
of fostering and its ability to transform lives.
Out of the 12
million children living in England, 3% of these are in the social care system
at any one time. As a result, England is said to be facing a shortfall of
25,000 foster placements over the next five years according to the Social
Market Foundation. There is also a particular need for foster carers to look
after teenagers and sibling groups, with the Local Government Agency reporting
that a wider range of foster placements are needed to ensure that children can
be placed together, or where their needs are best met.
It has been widely
reported in recent times that many children under the age of 16 were being
placed in unregulated care homes. This became illegal in September 2021 after a
number of children and young people were becoming exposed to organised abuse
within these unregulated settings. The fact that such placements existed so
recently highlights that the need for foster families is greater than ever.
At Ramsdens, our
Care team see the important role played by foster carers. A positive foster
placement can provide children with consistency and emotional warmth amid
difficult times in their lives.
If you are
interested in foster caring, visit thefosteringnetwork.org.uk to find out more.
You can show your support for foster care fortnight using #FCF22 and
#FosteringCommunities on social media.
Call our Child Care Helpline on 01924 431 774 or email [email protected] to book a free information session with our expert solicitors at any of our offices including Huddersfield, Leeds and Wakefield.
The above article is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any part of the information given.
Furthermore, the information contained is accurate and up to date as of the date of publication. Readers should be aware that legislative frameworks may have been amended since the original date of publication.
