The Fostering Network

Praise for the positive impact of The Fostering Network’s Education Champions

The Fostering Network’s innovative Education Champions have recently been praised for their positive impact in an external evaluation report. The evaluation recommended that the Champion role, created as part of the London Fostering Achievement (LFA) programme, should be implemented more widely and The Fostering Network is delighted to be seeking services to partner with to develop this further and raise the educational outcomes and aspirations of looked after children.

New Ambassador for The Fostering Network

The Fostering Network is delighted to announce that Ashley-John Baptiste has become an ambassador for the charity.

Inspirational Young Campaigner Wins Fostering Award

Zoe Witherington first became involved with The Fostering Network in 2013 to support our Don’t Move Me campaign. During the campaign Zoe, between her studies, campaigned hard appearing in newspapers, on television, and on radio right across England sharing her story in the hope of creating a more positive future for other children and young people.

Creativity permeates everything we do

Dominic Stevenson, senior media officer at The Fostering Network and published poet, shares his thoughts on creativity:

I have worked at The Fostering Network for over four and a half years. In that time I’ve met countless foster carers and children, and I have laughed and cried with them as we have worked together, celebrated successes, and just had a generally wonderful time at events like the annual Foster Walk. One person that particularly sticks in my mind is a little girl who I first met at a Foster Walk in 2014, and in 2015 I was able to invite her and her foster carer to our annual awards where she got to meet the Duchess of Cambridge. Afterward she sent me a beautiful card thanking me and I have it in pride of place on my desk.

All I want to do is dance, sing and act - Matthew's story

My name is Matthew Miller I am 16 years of age and I have been in care all my life. I have had a lot of foster carers in this time until I was finally moved to my present carers 8 years ago.

Our response to the Lord Laming review

The Fostering Network warmly welcomes the publication of Lord Laming’s independent review of children in care’s involvement in the criminal justice system in England and Wales. We agree that ‘aiming to reduce the disproportionate number of young people who are, or have been, in public care progressing into custody’ is laudable, and we believe that, if implemented, the recommendations made within the report will make a positive difference to the lives of children in care.

Spring Campaigning

A key part of our ongoing campaigns work is to ensure that decision makers get the full facts about fostering. At the moment the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Children is conducting an inquiry into children’s social care, and to inform our response to this we surveyed foster carers on the subject of cuts to local authority budgets.

Foster Carers’ Dedication Lauded at Fostering Awards

A steadfast determination to care is one of the reasons why Glen and Regina Mahon from Downpatrick, County Down, who have been fostering for 15 years, were awarded The Fostering Network in Northern Ireland’s 2016 Foster Carer of the Year Award, sponsored by The Hilton, on Friday 20 May at the Hilton Hotel, Belfast.

Response to 2016 Queen's Speech

In response to the Queen’s Speech, Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network, said: ‘While The Fostering Network welcomes the Prime Minister’s self-declared “unashamedly pro-adoption” stance, and his subsequent backing of this stance in his Government’s legislative agenda as set out in the Queen’s Speech, we ask the Government to understand that adoption and foster care are not mutually exclusive.