Vintage bus boost for fostering

Foster Care Fortnight 2015 runs until next Sunday and the borough council’s  Family Placement Service is on its travels during the fortnight, looking for foster carers who can provide a stable supportive environment to help young people of all ages.

The team will be holding a series of roadshows with existing foster carers who can tell people more about what the role entails and helping people to make the decision to join the borough's dedicated team of foster carers.

The roadshow will be at Wentworth Garden Centre today from 10am and 3pm with information and advice available along with other activities including a visit by Alex the Foster Bear on a vintage double decker bus.

Other sessions will run at the following locations:

Monday, June 8,from 11am to 2pm at Riverside House Library

Tuesday, June 9 from 10am to 3pm at Rotherham Outdoor Market stall (next to the Gamestation shop)

Wednesday, June 10, from 10am to 3pm at Fosters Garden Centre in Thrybergh (the vintage bus will be located in the car park).

The sessions will give people the chance to hear from the fostering team and those existing carers in a relaxed atmosphere and give people the opportunity to ask any questions.

Family Placements Manager Paul Dempsey said: “We have a great team of dedicated foster carers in Rotherham who do a fantastic job in caring for our children and young people.

“These events give us the opportunity to let people know what a rewarding experience fostering can be as well as encourage more people to get involved.”

Anyone over 21 can apply to become a foster carer — there is no upper age limit and carers can come from any racial, ethnic or religious backgrounds and applications from single people are also welcome.

Age is no barrier as frequently people whose own children have now left home become foster carers, using their valuable experience of bringing up children.

More details can be found online at www.rotherham.gov.uk/fostering or by calling the Fostering Team on 01709 823976.