Newcastle foster parents support campaign to prevent sibling separation

A North East fostering agency has launched a new campaign to reduce sibling separation in Newcastle.

Throughout July, Foster Care Associates will be on the lookout for new carers to fulfil a growing demand in the city.

It's called 'Foster Siblings Together, and aims to prevent splitting siblings up in the care system.

Jodie Fletcher Murray, operations manager for FCA North East, said: "For many foster children, the relationship with their brothers and sisters is what they value most about their family and contact is very important, it provides them with stability and consistency by just having each other to talk to and share experiences.

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"There is a shortage of foster carers in Middlesbrough to take sibling groups, and there’s evidence to suggest that children who have been rejected and placed apart from their siblings are less likely to benefit from stable foster placements than if they had been placed with them.

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"Wherever possible, we try to keep siblings together, but need more foster carers in the region willing to meet this need."

Unlike adoption a fostered child remains the legal responsibility of the local authority and/or their birth parents, and ensures that children who cannot be with their parents or other relatives, for whatever reason, can be cared for in a family setting.

Linda Simmons, from Newcastle, has been a foster carer with FCA in the North East for nine years. She said: "**They've been brought up together and to separate them would be so wrong.

"It would be like losing a limb, especially when they'll have both gone through the same trauma at a young age."

For more information on becoming a foster carer with FCA call 0800 022 4330 and or enquire online HERE

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