Foster Care Fortnight – 9 to 22 May 2022

Foster Care Fortnight, which runs from 9 to 22 May, aims to raise the profile of fostering and show how foster care transforms lives. 

Fostering is providing a safe and secure home for vulnerable babies, children and young people who are unable to be at home with their own families. Sometimes this is for a few nights and sometimes for a few years. 

John*, aged 51, who has been a Camden foster carer for eight years, said: "My mother was a foster carer with Camden. I saw all the good that she was doing and wanted to make a difference too. Most recently, I have been looking after a seven-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl during the Easter holiday as well as the summer holiday.

"I am looking to take on two children for long-term placements, although I have also offered short-term respite foster placements in emergencies. You need to enjoy having a busy household, along with the exuberance of children. 

“Offering love and a family environment, as well as a safe space, makes a vast difference to children. You cannot remove the issues that originally brought children into the care system but you can equip them with the life skills and social skills to tackle those issues themselves in the future.”

Find out more

Every 20 minutes in the UK a child comes into care, often from very challenging circumstances where they might have experienced abuse or been neglected. Or there might have been family illness, a breakdown in relationships, or a young person may have arrived unaccompanied from abroad. 

In Camden, we need more people who are willing to open their homes and their hearts to welcome in our vulnerable children and provide them with care, stability and consistency. Please visit the website to find out more. 

*Note: name has been changed for this article.