Tuesday 27 December 2022
Every day in the UK, 77 children are brought into our care. But, with the current economic uncertainty growing day by day, a shortage of foster carers across the country means that children are being moved away from communities and siblings separated. Watch our advert below.
To highlight this growing plight, our new ‘It’s because of you’ campaign is focused on real people, telling real stories about what life is like as a foster carer, as well as what it means to the children that they foster. It’s proud, vibrant, and authentic, and at the heart of the campaign is the ethos that each one of us can play a part in changing a young person’s life, one small step at a time.
Hundreds of foster carers are urgently needed in each of the UK’s regions and counties, for children and teens who desperately need homes. But, away from what is said in some of the advertising and media, being a foster carer is about much more than just having a spare room.
The foster care community plays an essential role in changing the lives of vulnerable children and our carers nurture and support young people, helping them build incredible futures. But sadly, with the shortage we are facing right now across the UK and with enquiries at a 10-year low, we desperately need more people to come forward.
Encouraging people to pick up the phone, send a first email and take that all-important first step is the aim of the new campaign, which was launched in December 2022. Featuring the thoughts and feelings of foster carers and children and entitled ‘It’s because of you’ the campaign launched over the Christmas period with a 30-second TV commercial, which aired across the SKY TV network.
Initially being trialled in the northwest region, it is planned that the TV ad will be rolled out across the UK throughout 2023 with our carers quite literally being the stars of the piece, communicating the essence of foster care through a series of statements that were collected during focus groups with carers and children across the country.
Many foster families look after children on a short-term basis, but for many children, fostering offers them a secure, permanent home, providing support and care in a family setting and enabling them to stay in their local community with everything that is familiar.
We receive enquiries from people who may have been thinking about becoming a foster carer for years and we can offer several options where they can find out more and have their questions answered, and they can even speak with one of our incredible carers to find out what it’s really like.
As the number of children in care continues to grow, matching them with the right carers becomes increasingly difficult. We’re proud to provide high quality foster care across the UK, helping to build incredible futures for vulnerable children and young people in need. It’s because of our partnerships, our people, and our community. But more than that, it’s because of you.
If you’re interested in becoming part of our fostering family, we would love to hear from you, please get in touch.