Home Local News Lancashire County Council campaign to recruit carers to foster local children

Lancashire County Council campaign to recruit carers to foster local children

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People who could change a local child’s life and foster with Lancashire County council are being urged to come forward.

With around 20 new Lancashire children coming into care each week and needing urgent foster care placements, the campaign is aimed at people who can help ensure children stay in their communities.

County Councillor Phillippa Williamson, cabinet member for children, young people and schools, said: “We always try to place children with our own foster carers, but the high demand for places does make this challenging to achieve.

“While some children will always need to be placed away from the county for safeguarding reasons, or can be looked after by family, we want to ensure others get the opportunity to stay local.”

The campaign, launching on Monday 13 January, is being promoted in many ways including on billboards, and on social media channels.

It highlights the need for more foster carers and the incredible impact they can make on a child or young person at a time when it is really needed, whilst also enriching their own lives.

The latest statistics available from March 2019 show that 76.7% of children in care were placed within the authority area, compared to the national 58%.

County Councillor Williamson added: “It can make all the difference if children can stay locally. When children cannot stay with their own families, being in foster care in their local area can offer some children the best possible chance of a happy and secure future.

“By maintaining local links, the child can still go to the same school and keep routines with friends and hobbies. Ideally, we want to keep them close to home in secure placements, supporting them to return to their families when appropriate.

“Children are only placed outside of our area if it is in their best interests, for example to live with extended family members, because they need a specialist placement or because there is a foster placement well matched to their needs.

New foster carers can expect to receive between £244 and £421 per week for each child they care for.

For more information about becoming a foster carer or to find out more about the campaign, call the fostering recruitment team on 0300 123 6723 or visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/fostering

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