People in North Yorkshire encouraged to consider fostering during pandemic
It's as the number of children waiting to find a home has increased
People across North Yorkshire are being asked to think about whether they would be able to provide a child with a new start by becoming a foster carer.
The number of children currently living within foster families is just over 450, but the number has increased slightly because of the pandemic.
North Yorkshire County Council want to be able to keep all children with their siblings where possible, and to not have to move them out of the local authority. Therefore, they're asking people to get in touch if they think they would be a good foster parent.
Mel Hutchinson, Head of Child Placement at North Yorkshire County Council, said: "If anybody is interested but thought perhaps now isn't the time, what I would stress is now is the time more than ever that we look to consider and recruit foster carers.
"We don't know how long this pandemic is going to last and it may cause some challenges further as number increase in terms of the illness but we will always make sure we have enough places for children.
"We still need to recruit foster carers across the county, in particular those who can offer homes to older children and sibling groups, so please still get in touch.
"Although we cannot see you face to face at the moment we will be carrying out initial visits and progressing enquiries by both phone and Skype."
As many of the current carers are older or in the high risk category, it's become more difficult for North Yorkshire County Council to be able to find suitable places for children to live.
Mel, added: "We have been made aware of all those carers who might be more vulnerable than others and it's important that we safeguard our children and our carers. Safety is the most important thing.
"Some places are not as available as they had been previously so we need to keep recruiting to make sure we have that availability and so children can find that loving home."
If you're thinking about fostering but still have a few questions, or just want to hear more about Fostering North Yorkshire join Dianne and Miranda for a virtual chat.
They are available every Tuesday, 11am to 12noon. You can contact the team for your own personal time slot through email at fostering@northyorks.gov.uk.