Focus on Fostering
2008 Focus on Fostering Week 3rd - 7th November 2008
Could YOU give a child a chance?
The Irish Foster Care Association (IFCA) and the Health Service Executive today (Sunday 2nd November 2008) launched this year's Focus on Fostering Week which runs from 3rd to 7th November 2008 at a special reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Eibhlin Byrne in the Mansion House.
On hand to launch the initiative were foster parents and children, along with television personality Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh, representatives of the IFCA and HSE staff who implement fostering services throughout Ireland.
The aim of the campaign, entitled ‘Could you give a child a chance?' is to raise awareness of fostering and to assist HSE Local Health Offices in recruiting foster carers. Fostering is a service for children who, for a variety of reasons, cannot live with their own family. This may be for a short time, perhaps a week or two, or can be a longer term requirement. Foster parents provide a stable and caring home for children who cannot live with their own family, in what can be difficult times in their lives. Fostering is a hugely rewarding experience; people who open their homes to children who need fostering by providing a stable, secure and loving environment changes the lives of the children and young people in their care.
The HSE has statutory responsibility for Child Welfare and Protection, and HSE Fostering Teams all over the country work to recruit, assess, train and support Foster Parents to care for children. The IFCA is the national peer support organisation for Foster Parents in Ireland.
Information sessions and events, organised by HSE Fostering Teams across the country, will take place during and after Focus on Fostering week (see attached). Information resources have been made available to create awareness of the fostering campaign. These include a information booklet and leaflet about fostering which is available at HSE Local Health Offices, the HSE and IFCA websites, public libraries and community centres.
Foster carers are needed throughout the country but more so in larger urban areas and the HSE is particularly interested in hearing from potential foster carers for young people aged eight to 18. When someone becomes a foster carer, a range of support services are put in place to guide them, including training, social worker assistance and financial support.
According to Deirdre McTeigue, Director of IFCA "Foster parents provide a stable family home for children who for one reason or another, cannot live with their own families, nurturing the child to help him or her develop and reach their full potential.
IFCA works in partnership with the HSE to promote foster care as the best alternative for children in care. The Association offers an independent support & advocacy service for foster parents experiencing difficulties. IFCA also enables those who are interested in foster care get together to support one another, air their views and where necessary campaign for improvements in foster care."
Mary Cummins of the HSE added, "There are approximately 3,300 foster carers providing care to 4,500 children currently. Fostering is the backbone of the child care service and foster carers deserve the support of the whole community for what they do. We continue to need more carers to join this group in order to meet the ongoing needs of children in care."
Prospective foster carers can apply by contacting the Fostering Team at the HSE Local Health Offices, calling the HSE Infoline on 1850 24 1850 or visit www.hse.ie/en/fostering or http://www.ifca.ie/