Young footballers champion children in care

Rochdale St Clements FC Under 11s

Rochdale St Clements FC juniors are already champions only weeks into the football season.

They are flying the flag for children in care by emblazoning 'Rochdale Fostering and Adoption' across their shirts as part of Rochdale Council's campaign to recruit the carers and adopters it desperately needs.

In a special sponsorship deal, Rochdale Council's Fostering and Adoption Team provided Rochdale St Clements under 11's and under 15's teams with their new 'Rochdale Fostering and Adoption' football kits at the start of the season.

The idea was the brainwave of the council's fostering team manager, Catherine Lockett who said: "My children play youth football in Oldham and when the team play, especially in tournaments, there are hundreds of parents, grandparents and friends watching the games, providing a huge pool of potential carers and adopters. I thought that getting fostering and adoption on player's shirts would be a great new way of reaching that audience.

"Because it has such thriving junior teams, it was particularly appropriate to sponsor Rochdale St Clements FC."

The club currently attracts more than 110 junior footballers from across Rochdale who train once a week and play on a Sunday morning. Seven junior teams, from under 10's up to under 16's, play in the Rochdale amp; Oldham Youth Football League.

Lee Ashworth, Rochdale St Clements U16s manager said: "The club was proud to get the chance to play a part in helping children in care find families. The juniors get a real buzz every time they pull on the shirt because they know they are helping children and young people less fortunate then themselves when they wear it."

There are more than 150 children and young people looked after by Rochdale Council foster carers, but the council still need many more carers to provide looked after children with the care they deserve. The adoption team is currently family finding for more than 15 children.

Councillor Irene Davidson, Rochdale Council's Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families, said: "The council leaves no stone unturned in its effort to give children in its care the chance to grow up in a caring family home and achieve their full potential. All kinds of people can foster and adopt. If the shirts prompt just one person to come forward with the patience, flexibility, understanding and commitment to children needed, we will be delighted."