By Stephanie Silom
If you have ever considered a career in fostering, now is your time to shine.
A fostering agency based in Dorset has launched a moving and emotional video on fostering, in an attempt to encourage caring individuals to consider taking on a career in fostering in 2020.
The video, produced by ISP Fostering, features siblings sadly watching the New Year celebrations. The festive season is a happy time for most, but the sisters will be just two of the estimated 300,000+ children who will be needing a foster family over the next year.
ISP Fostering is an independent fostering agency, looking after vulnerable children and young people across the Dorset region. They aim to ensure that those in their care lead happy, stable, active childhoods, providing the foundations for fulfilling and productive adulthoods, and are hoping to recruit more foster carers during 2020 to help them on this mission.
The social media and video campaign was launched to draw attention to the urgent need for foster families across the country. Emma Hannett, Registered Manager for ISP, commented: “The Christmas period can be a really emotional and unsettling time of year for young individuals in care, which is why we are launching this video.
“The New Year is a perfect opportunity for individuals and families to reflect on their life and potentially provide a new start for so many of these children. The campaign pulls at the heartstrings, but this is reality for so many children in need.”
According to Ofsted, in March 2019, agencies reported almost 55,000 children and young people were in a fostering placement; this is a 3% increase from the previous year. Sadly, over 15,000 fostering places were reported as ‘not available’.
With the majority of children and young people looked after being due to abuse or neglect, the need for loving and secure homes has never been higher.
For more information about fostering with ISP, contact 0800 0857 989, or visit www.ispchildcare.org.uk.
The New Year video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/zFcw3WZYn4g
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