With a significant increase in the number of children coming into care, the on-going effort to recruit more Foster Carers in the Western Health and Social Care Trust area continues in January 2015 with an information evening in Enniskillen later this month.

Currently there is a national shortage of foster families who can offer a safe and caring home to children and young people, as well as children with disabilities and sibling groups. Foster carers offer security and safety for children and young people for short periods or longer term care for children who are unable to return to their birth family.

The Information session will allow those considering offering Foster care, to learn more about the many benefits individuals and couples can bring to children and young people. If you are thinking about fostering, please come along to one of our information sessions where you can speak to the fostering social workers and hear from a Foster Carer’s experience.

The Enniskillen session will take place on Wednesday, January 28 at the Patient Education and Exercise Room (EDU.L2.025) at the South West Acute Hospital at 7.30pm.

Pat Armstrong, Head of Fostering and Adoption for the Western Trust said: “Foster carers do a remarkable job of simply being there for a young person to give them support and guidance as they progress with their lives.

“The carer’s role is therefore extremely important however, like most Health and Social Care Trusts, we are facing difficulties in recruiting enough new carers to enable us to make the right placement match first time. We need people who have been thinking about fostering to pick up the phone and call one of our team or come along to an information session. If you think that you can help a child or young person feel valued, respected and cared for, make that first step and get in touch.” “We are especially keen to recruit those who are able to foster teenagers, sibling groups, and children on a long term basis who are unable to return to the care of their birth families.” Kieran Downey, Western Trust Director of Women’s and Children’s Services added: “There is a constant need for more Foster Carers within the Trust so that we can find the right foster family with the right skills and experience for each individual child.

“However, there is no typical Foster Carer – we have carers who are not already parents and who are single or living together, married couples and those who have their own young family or family who have flown the nest..” The Western Trust wish to recruit people who are patient, understanding, compassionate and flexible. If you have time and space in your life for fostering or would like some further information contact the Western Trust’s Fostering Recruitment and Assessment Team on (028) 82835264 (Omagh and Fermanagh) or (028) 71314244(Derry and surrounding areas) or via email: marie.walsh@westerntrust.hscni.net.