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Council launches urgent appeal for foster carers in Bristol
The mayor of Bristol has launched an urgent appeal to Bristol residents to become foster carers.
Marvin Rees said there had been a rapid decline in the number of people joining the fostering community, leading to a shortage of carers in Bristol.
There are currently 750 children and young people in care in Bristol, but only 353 households foster through Bristol City Council.
is needed now More than ever
As a result, the council needs to place approximately 40 per cent of children in private fostering agencies or in children’s homes. This can often lead to sibling groups being separated and children living outside the city, which means they’d be away from their community, school and friends.
Marvin Rees said: “We’re calling on our residents to help make a difference to the children in care who need a home in Bristol.
“We need people to step up again [like in the pandemic] as we’re at crisis point. Our current foster carers are doing an incredible job but, put simply, there aren’t enough of them.”
The shortage of foster carers isn’t just a problem in Bristol.
Ofsted’s latest fostering statistics, released in November 2022, showed that one in eight fostering households quit fostering between 2021-22 with 5,435 mainstream fostering households deregistering compared to the 4035 that were approved to care in that time.
“It’s a national trend, which could be exacerbated by the cost of living crisis,” said Rees. As an incentive, Bristol City Council is offering a welcome grant of £500 to every new foster carer, along with their weekly allowances and other benefits.
Bristol City Council are keen to recruit long term and short term foster carers, as well as those who can offer weekends and short breaks. Foster carers from every society, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age and religion are welcome.
Councillor Asher Craig, who is the deputy mayor of Bristol with responsibility for children’s services said: “The children in our care deserve a safe and secure home where they can be loved and supported as they grow up.
“You don’t need any specific qualifications to become a foster carer, but it helps if you already have experience with children or caring for people. All our foster carers get one-to-one support from a dedicated social worker, as well as training and skills opportunities, and a range of other benefits.”
“If you have space in your home and in your life for a child who desperately needs you, please contact us to find out more about becoming one of our amazing foster carers.”
You can find out more on the council’s website.
Main Photo: Dominika Scheibinger
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