Press release: Fostering – Could it be for you?

East Sussex County Council's Fostering Service is launching a series of information events over the coming months to publicise the different ways in which potential carers can help by offering a child in need a loving home.

First in the series will be at the Landsdowne Hotel, King Edwards Parade in Eastbourne on Thursday 12 January, from 5pm to 8pm in the Wilmington Lounge with tea, coffee and cookies.

Each event will be run as an informal ‘drop in' session. Staff from the Council's Fostering Service will be on hand to talk about all types of fostering, including short term or permanent and fostering for parents and babies, and for disabled children, and to talk about all aspects of becoming a foster carer.

In addition, potential carers will be able to talk to local foster carers to find out first-hand what fostering means to them, about the rewards – and challenges! – and the support that's available.

Carers like Tracy and Jason, who have been fostering since October 2010: "We really wanted to give a child the opportunity to be part of a nurturing and family orientated home. There are daily challenges, from getting dressed in the morning, to dealing with rejection if a parent doesn't make a contact visit, but you will deal with these head on, and our social worker and the rest of the fostering team, are a huge support. There are too many rewards to recount them all, but seeing a once withdrawn child gradually let you in is the biggest reward of all."

Cllr Belsey, Lead Member for Children and Families, said “Our foster carers come from all walks of life and from all kinds of backgrounds. The one thing they all have in common is a genuine desire to make a difference to a young person's life.”

“I'm sure a lot of people would like to help but don't know about the range of options available. These recruitment events are a great way for people to find out more about becoming a foster carer. "If you think you can help change a child's life for the better, then please attend this event."

The January event is the first one of 10 that are planned recruitment events running throughout 2012 on the second Thursday of the month (but not August or December) between 5pm and 8pm. The events will alternate between venues across the county, at Eastbourne, Uckfield and Hastings.

For further information about fostering, phone: 01323 747407 or visit our Fostering section.

Further information

Every year, the County Council places a number of children and teenagers, who cannot live with their birth families for a variety of reasons, with foster carers or adoptive parents. These children come from a variety of social and ethnic backgrounds and vary in age from babies to teenagers so the County Council need foster carers who reflect the whole social and ethnic mix of East Sussex.

Contact the press team