School children’s poetry boosts new campaign to recruit more foster carers in the city and county has been launched

‘No place like home’ is the title of the move by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils who want to hear from anyone who is interested in providing support, love and stability to children and young people in need of a home.

To emphasise the importance of a stable home, children from Neale Wade Academy in March and the Thomas Deacon Academy in Peterborough have recorded a special ‘Home’ poem on video, which highlights which aspects of home life are important to them. The video delivers a powerful message that no child should be without a home and the stability of a family environment.

Rick Carroll, Principal at the Thomas Deacon Academy in Peterborough is fully behind the initiative and said: “Fostering is a way of providing looked-after children and young people with a caring and nurturing environment, during a period when their own family is unable to look after them.

“Without foster carers, where would these children end up? Children need love in order to flourish and thrive. A foster home reduces the feeling of abandonment and helps each child know they are cared for.”

Jason Wing, Executive Principal at the Neale Wade Academy in March said: “At Neale Wade Academy we recognise how vitally important it is for more people to become involved in foster care.

“The carers that we work with do a fantastic job of supporting young people and they make a real difference to the lives of those that they work with. We have a significant number of looked after children at Neale-Wade and work closely in partnership with the carers to enable these children to be safe and successful.”

Every day over 300 foster carers from across Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council give over 1,000 fostered children and young people a safe and loving home.

Coun Simon Bywater, chairman of the county council’s Children and Young People’s Committee, said: “Our foster carers are amazing and I’m really happy to support this campaign and say thank you for the constant support they provide to children and families.”

Coun Lynne Ayres, Peterborough City Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Recruiting foster carers is so important and it never stops. There are many different types of fostering available, from long-term fostering to emergency fostering and respite care. I would encourage anyone who thinks they could provide a stable and loving home for a child to take the first step and get in touch with us today.”

Both Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council want to encourage people to find out more about how they can inspire children and young people to reach their full potential. During Covid-19 both local authorities have been progressing enquiries over the telephone and by video call, but many more foster carers are needed to help support children over 10, teenagers and sibling groups.

If you are over 21 and have a spare bedroom in your home then you should not rule yourself out based on age, disability, ethnicity, gender identification, religion or sexual orientation. Carers can be single or in a relationship, own or rent their own home, have their own children or be child-free.

Carers receive payments and allowances to help cover their time and expenses, as well as advice and guidance so they are supported every step of the way.

To find out more about fostering, visit the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough websites. Alternatively, for Cambridgeshire residents, email [email protected] or call 0800 052 0078. And for Peterborough residents, email [email protected] or call 0800 328 8433.