Nottinghamshire County Council cabinet menber for children and families encourages people to consider fostering

This year, I am asking you to think about fostering a child in Nottinghamshire. — Writes Tracey Taylor, cabinet member for children and families at Nottinghamshire County Council.

Fostering provides local children with the opportunity to thrive in a home environment. We’re urging anyone with an interest in fostering to come forward.

Our foster carers do a great job, but we need more new foster carers so we can keep meeting the needs of local children.

We’re asking you to help us make sure that every Nottinghamshire child can grow up in a safe, stable and loving home.

Nottinghamshire foster carers Maureen and Gary, from Kirkby-In-Ashfield, are a great example of the vital role foster carers play in supporting our county’s most vulnerable children.

They’ve been fostering with us for over 25 years.

In their own words: “Children need a family environment. It is really important for children to have that support. The children we’ve fostered have now gone on to have families of their own and settle down. It is so rewarding to see them grow up.

“You have a social worker working with you and the child has their own social worker too. You all work together. You are fully supported in every aspect at every stage, there is always someone there for you. It’s a really great support team.”

The need for foster carers nationally is high, and Nottinghamshire is no exception.

We’re a therapeutic fostering service with a range of specialist training and support designed to help foster carers support children who have experienced trauma in their lives.

All of our foster carers benefit from a locally-based social worker to support them, as well as access to specialist services, training opportunities and a network of support from other local carers.

Come along to an information event — either online or in person – or get in touch with our friendly fostering recruitment team who will be happy to answer any questions you may have. No question is too big or too small.

Find out about information events: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/FosteringEvents.

Contact the fostering recruitment team: Fostering@nottinghamshire.gov.uk | 0115 804 4440