Prospective foster carers urged to help a child unlock their potential
Wiltshire Council is hoping to recruit more foster carers
Wiltshire Council is encouraging more people to come forward and provide loving homes for children and young people in the county.
The council is kicking off Foster Care Fortnight from 13 May with a call for more foster carers to join and provide a place of stability and safety.
The team will be at events throughout Wiltshire as well as holding online drop in chats so people can talk to foster carers and the team and find out more.
Foster carer Alan and his wife have been Wiltshire Council foster carers for eight years.
He said: "Sport seems to have given us a common ground. A lot of the children who have come to stay with me have never been given any time for sport, in fact pretty much none of them could swim at all.
"That’s the first thing we do really is get them signed up to doing swimming lessons and that then gives them confidence. Now my children do gymnastics and one is mad about football."
The council has recently increased its fostering payments and now they range from £400 to £740 per week per child depending on the type of fostering and experience.
Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: "You never know how your nurturing can unlock potential in a child or young person.
"Our foster carers are the very best examples of how by providing a stable, loving home children can feel safe and move forward in what they want to do in life.
"Not everyone will be a sports superstar but with the right support and love they will be able to take on challenges and be free to be the person they are meant to be.
"I hear wonderful stories of how our foster carers are making such a positive difference to a child’s life and I would love more people to join our incredible group of carers and be that amazing inspiration to a young person."