An 'ad van' promoting the need for more foster carers in the county will be stopping off across Cumbria from this Thursday (15 May) as part of Foster Care Fortnight.

Foster Care Fortnight is a government-led campaign run annually to raise the awareness of the national shortage of foster carers.

As part of the campaign, the county council's fostering service has arranged for an advertising van to travel around the county, starting in Carlisle on 15 May, and finishing in Barrow on Monday 19 May. In between, it will be stopping off at Brampton, Penrith, Wigton, Workington, Maryport, Whitehaven, Kendal, and Ulverston.

The van carries the message: "Fostering Cumbria’s Future - Foster Carers Wanted Now" and the aim of the campaign is to reach all areas of Cumbria in one week and to ask people to come forward and find out about fostering "Now".

The Fostering Network attracts potential fosterers by promoting the message that many people already have the qualities needed to be a good foster carer, they just don’t realise it. An example of some of the promotional literature is: 

"Would you say you were a good listener? How about resilient? Are you pretty thick skinned? Can you defuse situations with humour or make a child’s worries disappear with a reassuring hug? If any of these qualities remind you of you and if you’re down to earth with a stable home life, you could provide the foundations on which a child can rebuild their life." 

Andy Hobday, Cumbria County Council's Team Manager Fostering (West) will be helping to send the van on its way from Morton Park Family Centre on Thursday morning. He said:

"The fostering service is looking to recruit at least 30 more fostering households throughout Cumbria this year and 10 for our Shared Care scheme, which involves looking after children and young people with physical and learning difficulties.

"We need new carers to replace those who will be retiring over the next few years, and also to improve the choice of placements available. This means that when a child needs to be fostered, hopefully they can get a foster home near where they live, so they don't have to leave their school and friends."

Carers are currently needed for children aged 0 -17, especially ones who can look after sibling groups.

The county council's fostering service is also holding an information session on Tuesday 20 May from 1pm –4pm at 15 Portland Square in Carlisle, for people who would like to find out more about what's involved in fostering. Call (01228) 607078 for more details.

For more information about fostering in Cumbria, go to http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/childrensservices/

Further information about Foster Care Fortnight is at http://www.couldyoufoster.org.uk/ (external link)

ENDS

Please note: Cumbria County Council's media team telephone numbers have now changed.

Media enquiries to Alison Lister, Media Officer on 01228 226335