New campaign aims to recruit more foster carers

Orkney Health and Care (OHAC) is launching a campaign aimed at recruiting more foster carers to be at the ready for children in need of family-based care in the county.

The campaign is aimed at helping raise awareness of the rewards of fostering and the huge difference it makes for young people involved.

OHAC has said, it will also address some common ‘myths’ about fostering — such as that you have to be part of a ‘couple’ or be a stay-at-home parent to foster.

Scott Hunter, Head of Children and Families at Orkney Health and Care (OHAC) said: “We do have a good, solid base of very experienced, very dedicated and highly capable foster carers.

“But what we are always striving to do is to broaden that base. It’s all about being able to provide the best possible match for each child who comes to us needing a foster family.

“We’re particularly at the moment looking for foster carers with that greater time availability to be able to jump into action at short notice and look after school-aged children, and for people who really click with teenagers.”

As part of the campaign, a series of twelve different posters calling for local people to consider fostering have been developed — three will be revealed this week on social media and in public places around Orkney. New versions will appear periodically over the next few years.

To join in and help spread word about the campaign, visit the new ‘OrkneyFostering’ Facebook page, search #OrkneyFostering on Twitter, visit www.orkney.gov.uk or email fostering.adoption@orkney.gov.uk.