Dear Editor
At Barnardo’s Cymru, we are facing a growing shortage of foster carers. This threatens to leave vulnerable children without a safe, stable and loving home and reduces the prospect of
them achieving a positive future.
Barnardo’s has more than 100 years of experience in fostering and we know through
the amazing work of our foster carers across the country that they make an immeasurable difference to the lives of children in care
A foster family gives children and young people a safe, secure place to live for a few weeks, months or even years. This happens when, for a whole range of reasons, a child cannot live
at their own home.
With the number of children in care in the UK now standing at over
100,000, and with a particular increase in the number aged 11 or older, the urgent need for new foster carers comes at a time when we have seen a decline in the number of people coming forward to be foster carers.
On top of this, many of our most experienced foster carers are now retiring or nearing retirement age, meaning there stands to be even fewer carers able to offer foster placements to
the record number of children now needing care.
A new YouGov survey for Barnardo’s
shows there are misconceptions about what it takes to be a foster carer, with some believing a person should already have children of their own, and almost half stating
they were either too young or too old to foster.
There is no requirement for a foster carer to already have a child of their own and there is no upper age limit. At Barnardo’s, we welcome passionate individuals from all walks of life
and from all communities. If you are over 21, have a spare room, are a UK resident and have the time and commitment to support a child – you could transform their childhood and their future.
To find out more about fostering with Barnardo’s please visit our website at
www.barnardos.org.uk/fostering
or call our team on 0800 0277 280.
Sarah Crawley,
Director of Barnardo’s Cymru and South West
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