Across Sefton, hundreds of foster carers open their homes to provide love, stability, and care to children and young people in need. However, many more foster carers are urgently needed to ensure every child can be matched with the right home for their individual needs.

That’s why, during this year’s Foster Care Fortnight, running from 11–24 May, we want to raise awareness of the incredible impact of fostering and encourage more people to consider becoming foster carers in Sefton. It’s also an opportunity to say a big thank you to all our foster carers for their remarkable dedication.

This year’s theme, “This is Fostering”, shines a light on the everyday realities of fostering, highlighting the profound difference carers make in children’s lives. It celebrates the skills, commitment, and compassion they show while supporting children through important moments in their lives.

Throughout Foster Care Fortnight, we’ll be raising awareness of the moments that matter, helping a child build trust or preparing them for a new school. To mark the occasion, Sefton will also be bringing fostering families together to celebrate and thank its dedicated carers for the incredible difference they make every day.

Foster Carer Leighann said: "It’s often the small things that can make the biggest difference. Having a welcome book that children can look at before they arrive, showing who lives in the home, what the house looks like, who might visit, and what everyday life might look like, can really help ease the anxiety of not knowing what to expect. Letting them choose their own bedding or giving them something small and personal that’s just for them, can help them feel safe, comfortable, and that they belong.”

Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive of The Fostering Network, said: “The UK is in urgent need of more foster carers. Each year, we are losing more carers than we are gaining, and that simply isn’t sustainable. This Foster Care Fortnight, we will be encouraging people to consider fostering while saying a big thank you to our existing foster carers for everything they do.”

Thinking about becoming a foster carer?

Foster carers are needed in Sefton to provide safe, nurturing homes, whether for a night, a few months, or several years. By fostering, you can make a lasting difference in a young person’s life.

Find out more by visiting:
seftonfostering.co.uk

Meet the team:
• Strand Shopping Centre – 12 May, 11am–1pm
• Tesco Extra, Southport – 22 May, 11am–1pm