
Campaign launched to recruit more foster carers in Torfaen
Foster Wales Torfaen is hosting a series of events during Foster Care Fortnight, from May 12 to 25, to encourage people to consider fostering.
The theme of this year's campaign is 'The Power of Relationships,' highlighting the impact of connections between foster carers, children, social workers, and the community.
The campaign kicks off with an online information session on Monday, May 12, from 6pm to 7pm, where representatives from Foster Wales teams across Gwent will discuss fostering and answer questions.
This will be followed by an in-person event at the Pontypool Education Centre on Wednesday, May 21, from 4pm to 7pm, where attendees can speak with fostering social workers and Torfaen foster carers.
Additional drop-in sessions will take place throughout the fortnight, with details posted on the council's social media pages.
Councillor Richard Clark, the council's executive member for children, families and education, said: "As a local authority, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of children and young people in care within our communities.
"By fostering with us, as part of Foster Wales Torfaen, you're ensuring that children stay connected with their community, family and friends, helping them settle into their new homes more easily and maintain vital connections with their schools and communities."
There are more than 7,000 children in care in Wales, but only 3,800 foster families.
Foster Wales aims to recruit an additional 800 carers by 2026.
For more information, visit the Foster Wales website.

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Sunday Post
25-05-2025
- Sunday Post
Scotland is short of 400 foster carers… do you have what it takes?
Get a weekly round-up of stories from The Sunday Post: Thank you for signing up to our Sunday Post newsletter. Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up There has never been a more urgent need for foster homes in Scotland than there is right now. So says Anne Currie, assistant director for Scotland at The Fostering Network. 'As over 350 foster carers leave each year, it's critical that we take action now,' she said, adding that Scotland needs at least 400 more to meet demand. As Foster Care Fortnight comes to a close today, with people across the country being encouraged to consider if they could provide a safe, supportive foster home for a child or young person, we meet six Scots carers to hear more about their journeys. Two of the girls call me Auntie now, that's how they see me © Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson & Kirstin Hardie, from Perth, has been a foster carer for three years. The 32-year-old, who is single and works part-time as a teacher, has two sets of sisters who come monthly. She's also been approved for interim foster care and now has seven-year-old twins living with her full-time. 'It was something I'd thought about for a long time,' she said. 'It fit with my lifestyle and my house was empty – why not fill some of these bedrooms? 'At the beginning, everybody was quite nervous about me doing it, because I'm on my own and was only 28 when I started. 'Now, having seen what it's like, my parents are also really involved. They buy Christmas presents for the kids and that kind of thing. 'The biggest joy is going around looking like Santa! It's not about the material gifts but knowing that these kids see people are thinking of them and want to be with them. Some of them haven't had that before.' Vital to becoming a foster carer is the support network of the various organisations involved, as well as fellow carers and family. 'It is harder as a single carer, but having that support is brilliant,' Kirstin said. She added: 'Two of the girls call me Auntie and that's how they see me. Coming to me is a bit cooler than going to an older foster. 'I think for them it takes away the stigma that there still is of being in foster care. They don't really tell people that's what they're coming to me for – they just say they're with their auntie.' As a single gay man, I might not fit stereotypical view of a carer © Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson & It was working alongside Kirstin Hardie that led fellow teacher James Snowden to apply for fostering, being approved as a short break carer in summer 2024. 'I've always worked for young people, so I've seen first-hand the impacts of foster care and the types of people who need that support,' he said. 'I'm a single gay man, which might not fit with people's view of a stereotypical foster carer, but it's now such a broad selection of people. I saw that first-hand going through the process. I also work full time, which I thought would be a barrier but it hasn't been at all.' One boy and a brother and sister regularly stay with James during weekends and school holidays. 'It's almost like a little holiday. We're often doing different activities, taking them out and about,' James said. 'Some of these kids have had such difficult experiences, and it's great to do fun stuff with them which they don't get to do very often. 'It makes a difference to the kids, but it's also giving their carers a bit of respite as well. It benefits both ways.' James hopes his involvement in fostering can expand from the stereotypes people may have of foster carers. 'There are misconceptions,' he said. 'People think you need to be retired or not working or have these kids all the time, when actually there's a whole bunch of different ways of getting involved. 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'We feel two equally strong emotions, a sense of loss but another sense of triumph.' Eric, a former community psychiatric nurse, still keeps in touch with some of those who the couple have had through their doors. 'We fostered a boy who arrived in the UK as a refugee from Afghanistan, who stayed with us between the ages of 14 and 16. He still sends us Christmas, Father's Day and Mother's Day cards and has come on really well.' For anyone thinking they'd be interested in fostering, Eric, 65, said: 'Until you get involved, you don't realise how big the need is just in your locality. 'Speak to people who have a little bit of experience or can give you some insight. Make the inquiry. There's no pressure. 'You are rewarded, you are paid, you are helped to manage the situation and that's good. You're not left on your own just to get on with it.' We have had a thousand rewarding moments © Supplied Bruce Ramage and his wife Debbie, from Alloa, have been fostering for more than 13 years. Their journey began after supporting a family member through the adoption process and facing challenges conceiving a second child. They went through seven months of intensive training and a further nine months of preparation work before being approved. 'It was long so we had the opportunity to see if it was right for us,' Bruce said. 'Can we do what the expectations are, can we open ourselves up completely? Everything came back as a yes.' Over their time as foster carers, they've had between 30 and 40 placements, ranging from full-time stays to short respites. 'If you'd asked me seven years ago, would I be sitting here today with four kids under 10 … I'm 53, I'd have said no chance! 'It's the best decision we've ever made. I just feel so fortunate that my wife and I can do something for them. We've had a thousand rewarding moments since we started. 'There was a child we had when she was a teenager who would come every Easter for two weeks' respite. She's now a mum herself and we're still in contact. 'The things we did with her in that fortnight, she does with her own kids now.' Bruce added: 'The process is long enough for you to work out if it's for you or not. 'It's now my full-time job. It's more like a vocation, to be honest. It's hard work, testing, and sometimes not given the credit it's due. 'It's about understanding the young person and adapting your life into their way at the start for them to then have the security of adopting your life.' Fostering is open to people of all ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, genders and family structures. For more information on how to become a foster carer, visit or call the Fosterline service on 0141 204 1400


Wales Online
25-05-2025
- Wales Online
'I don't think I'd be here today if it wasn't for my foster family'
'I don't think I'd be here today if it wasn't for my foster family' Jake Jamieson and Lisa Bellis have both become part of their foster families Jake first met his foster carer Sian went she looked after him during respite care (Image: Foster Wales ) Young adults who have experienced foster care have spoke about the life-changing impact supportive foster carers have had on their lives, allowing them to go to university, be supported financially and giving them a safe place to come back to. This Foster Care Fortnight care leavers have said foster care gave them opportunities they may have never had before, giving them a really positive experience despite sometimes getting a "bad rep". They have told their stories in a bid to help others. Jake Jamieson, 26 from Gwynedd, is now a personal trainer. He went into foster care at seven years old and had several foster families before he finally became part of Sian and Owain's family full-time when he was 18 having previously spent time with them during summer camps. Jake said: "I was in that time of life when you start a bit of independent living because you're going to university but you still need that support network to go through that transition. I'm extremely grateful they've allowed me to be part of their family, it's been great ever since." Jake said his experience of foster care has been extremely positive (Image: Foster Wales ) Despite being placed with different families, Jake said his childhood had still been fairly settled as he was able to stay in the same school and therefore keep his friends. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Article continues below He continued: "I don't think I would be where I am in life right now if I didn't go into care. Sian and Owain, they've been brilliant role models for me, helped me through university and helped me set up normal stuff like guarantors and bills. "You always need your mum and dad to help you with things like that." Jake explained his foster carers have three children of their own and have done lots of fostering over the years. He has now moved out full-time but continues to go back for holidays, birthdays, Christmas and Easter and sometimes has them stay in his house. They also go on family holidays, often opting to head to Turkey. After studying sport and nutrition at university, Jake runs a personal training business. He said: "I absolutely love it, I've found my purpose and I just went with it. It's ironic because I'm helping people be better versions of themselves and that's sort of what happened to me." "I think foster care can sometimes get a bad rep. 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"It's obviously scary when you come into care because you don't know these people and you may not know why you're there. But it does get easier. You've just got to trust the process and you've got to trust them because they're there to support and show you what love actually is and what a family is." Data from the Welsh Government shows that in Wales, there are more than 7,198 children in care. However, there is immense pressure on the system with only 3,800 foster families. Low numbers of suitable foster carers can mean siblings are more likely to be separated, children are less likely to be able to stay in the same area and less young people will get the necessary support. People interested in becoming a foster carer can find out more through Foster Wales. Alastair Cope, head of Foster Wales, said: "Foster Care Fortnight always offers a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the people who create lasting change in the lives of so many children in Wales. Article continues below "Every fostering journey relies on strong, trusting relationships to create the stability within a loving home that all children deserve. Whether between a foster carer and a child, a child with their foster siblings, or between a family and their social worker, these relationships open up new possibilities for a child's future and help support them into successful independent lives."


BBC News
22-05-2025
- BBC News
Jersey foster carer has looked after 31 children in eight years
A foster carer who has provided homes to 31 children over the past eight years, wants more people to consider opening their Le Vesconte said for prospective foster carers "as long as you've got room in your home and room in your heart, you're going to be brilliant at it". She spoke to the BBC as part of the Foster Care Fortnight awareness campaign. Constable Richard Vibert, the Minister for Children and Families, said he was looking for 'another 12' foster carers to make up a current shortage on the island. 'Busy, hectic at times' Ms Les Vesconte said: "It's been a fairly busy household, hectic at times, but really good, really fulfilling, thoroughly enjoyable."We've looked after children from one day old to 17 years old and various ages in between."She said: "We're at the point where we've been fostering so long, and we've had so many children come through that I can't imagine not fostering."We love a busy household, and we just have the feeling that the more children that we can help, the better that the family unit runs. We really enjoy what we do."Ms Les Vesconte said: "We have an open door policy, and we still have people who rock up on a Sunday afternoon for a Sunday roast."She said: "It's difficult to say goodbye, but you know that you've given that child the best preparation you can give them for moving on with their life, that's the thing that keeps you going and helps you move on to the next child that comes through." As part of Foster Care Fortnight, the Government of Jersey has been holding a series of pop-ups to encourage people to said there's currently a shortage in foster carers in the island: "We need another twelve. We have four currently going through training and so we probably need another eight more."We have children in care homes at the moment, but fostering gives the child so much more. There's benefit to the child and parent."A child learns about family life, builds a relationship, even if that's just for a few weeks, it makes a great deal of difference to the start of their life."The reward is seeing a child growing up, or being able to help a child. It brings an immense amount of satisfaction to people. I have the greatest admiration for foster carers."