Make a connection this Foster Care Fortnight

Rochdale’s Fostering Service is celebrating Foster Care Fortnight by inviting residents to chat about how they could make a difference in the lives of some of Rochdale’s most vulnerable young people

Rochdale’s Fostering Service is celebrating Foster Care Fortnight by inviting residents to chat about how they could make a difference in the lives of some of Rochdale’s most vulnerable young people.

On Friday 5 and 12 of June between 1.30-4pm, Rochdale Borough Council’s Fostering Team will open the doors of their offices at Fashion Corner on Drake Street to answer any questions about fostering as a career.

Offering a huge range of local training, support and a new peer-mentoring scheme for newly approved foster families, the team also provides access to professional health and educational support, as well as providing competitive fostering allowances.

There are around 500 children in the borough being looked after by foster families, with the council needing all types of foster carers to meet the different needs of children.

Councillor Donna Martin, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “A lot of people don’t realise that they are eligible to foster – all you need to apply is to be over 21 and have a spare bedroom. We have approximately 200 wonderful foster carers working for Rochdale but we need another 20 or 30 every year to maintain that number and help look after the children in our care.

“We are always on the look-out for foster carers who can look after older children, teenagers and children with disabilities – the one thing that our carers have in common is they say their career is one of the most rewarding things they have ever done.”

Jill, who along with her husband Glyn has fostered with Rochdale Council for six years, said: “Being a foster carer is incredibly fulfilling. We are now the long-term carers of the boy we look after, who has some disabilities, and we feel very proud to be making a difference in his life.”

For more information about fostering, visit www.rochdale.gov.uk/fostering