How Fostering Achievement changes lives in Northern Ireland
Last year almost 1,500 children and young people received direct support from Fostering Achievement to help them do better in school. Of these over 400 young people received one to one tuition to help with progressing towards their exams.
We believe in their potential and by working with their foster families and the services that support them to achieve the very best they can. We are passionate about foster care and the difference it makes. We recognise and champion the vital role that foster families play in transforming children’s lives and work with fostering services to ensure they get the help and support they need. This is what influences the work we do.
Fostering Achievement is really making a positive mark in the landscape for the young people in foster care here in Northern Ireland. Of those young people doing GCSEs we saw almost twice as many gain five or more A* - C grades as the average for looked after children. 100 per cent of our young people got at least one GCSE, the same as for all children in the general population, which given that the educational outcomes for looked after children are very poor is exceptional.
The Fostering Achievement scheme aims to build aspiration and encourage success, however, we know that to be successful educationally children and young people also need to build skills and confidence. Children in care will have had difficult experiences that may affect their confidence.
Fostering Achievement provides a range of opportunities to build confidence skills and aspirations including an opportunity to experience university life with our partners the University of Ulster on a week-long residential scheme. As one young person on the scheme said: “…before I went I wasn’t even thinking about going back to school but now I am so determined to get more qualifications and go to University.”
Amy McCullough, 17, from County Down is an emerging student artist with immense talent. Working under the name CosmosKitty, Amy has produced an extensive range of artwork and has recently received commissions from as far away as Canada.
Amy’s love of art has developed over the past few years and she finds working on paper really immersive and calming: “My work consists of manga styled illustrations, mostly inspired by space and fantasy themes. Right now I’m working on my A Level art and other projects, and I’m also planning to have a table at the MCM Comic Con alongside other artists. Mostly I’m just enjoying growing as an artist, improving my skills and trying out new things.”
Amy was recently featured in an article called, ‘The Best in Western Talent’ in the art magazine NEO. To be included in such a publication at a young age is a testimony to her extraordinary talent.
Over the past few years Fostering Achievement has supplied Amy with a range of art resources to help her develop this talent. Nuala Fitzpatrick, development worker for Fostering Achievement, said: “It is exciting to have witnessed Amy’s talent evolve and we would like to wish her continued success for the future.”
If you foster a child and would like more information on the Fostering Achievement scheme and the support it can offer contact The Fostering Network Northern Ireland on 02890705056.
