Foster care Fortnight receives around 900 pieces of media coverage each year, and the Fostering Network is delighted to receive backing of celebrities and politicans from across the UK who lend their support to our campaign.
This page will help fostering services and media teams think through their local media activity as part of their broader Foster Care Fortnight campaign.
Before you even start thinking about your media and marketing activity for Foster Care FortnightTM 2023, it is worth taking the time to do the following:
What is your budget?
You don’t need a big budget to run a successful Foster Care Fortnight campaign. Social media and traditional media activity are free or low cost, and exisitng foster carers can help spread the word.
You can also make use of our printable resources. Alternatively, if you have a large budget, the scope for activity is almost endless.
What is important, regardless of your budget, is that you know who you are trying to reach and that you have a compelling 'ask'. Make sure you have a strong case study or two exemplifying the sort of carers you are looking for and which show how foster care transforms lives.
Involve your press office
Some fostering services have a dedicated press and marketing team. Others rely on teams which have a broader function. A press office will have established relationships with local media and they will be able to push your foster carers stories. Make sure that you know who the press officer responsible for foster care is and engage them in your work. They're probably very busy, so won't always come to you if you don't go to them.
We will be providing a template press release the week before Foster Care Fortnight which will link in with our national news story, which you can adapt to meet your needs. Alert your press office to the face that this will be coming and make sure they are sent to the press office as soon as you have it. Of course, you don't need to wait for our release. You can start thinking about local media work now, drafting a press release which will support your objectives.
Can you find some great case studies of young people who had their futures changes as a result of being fostered? Or some foster cares who say their lives are completely different as a result of fostering.
You'll also see that we are hoping to engage people outside of fostering by a variety of authentic stories from people who are involved with fostering.You could involve local celebrities and politicians, by asking them about their knowledge of what fostering is and encouraging them to participate in the campaign through social media support and by appearing in photos, to get some media coverage for your local Foster Care Fortnight activity.
Engage your foster carers
Your foster carers are your best recruiters and storytellers, especially if they feel well supported and respected by your service. They’re the heart of what you do, and can really win people over, especially if they feel committed to your service. With your full support, get them involved in work with journalists, camera and film crews, and get them talking about how incredible foster care is - and how foster care has transformed their lives.
