Could you start your fostering journey this Foster Care Fortnight?

To mark Foster Care Fortnight, running from 12 to 25 May, we’re celebrating our diverse and dedicated fostering community across Brighton & Hove.

Foster carers provide a safe, stable and loving environment for children who cannot live with their birth family. Our foster carers come from a wide range of backgrounds, with lots of different life experiences and skills.

The theme for Foster Care Fortnight is ‘The Power of Relationships’, recognising that fostering is built on strong, trusting relationships between foster children, foster carers, social workers, fostering communities and birth families.

These relationships have the power to change lives and give children and young people the best possible chance to succeed.

Walking for Foster Care Fortnight

On Tuesday 13 May, our fostering team joined a group of over 30 local foster carers alongside their friends and families for a walk and picnic in the sunshine at Hove Park to spend time together and raise awareness of fostering in Brighton & Hove.

What part can you play?

Councillor Emma Daniel, Cabinet member for Children, Families and Youth Services, said: “This Foster Care Fortnight we’re celebrating all the important relationships that make fostering a success, from foster carers and social workers to fostering-friendly employers and the wider fostering community.

“Our foster carers come from all walks of life, providing stability and support to some of our most vulnerable children and young people in a safe and loving environment.

“I’d encourage anyone considering becoming a foster carer to join us at one of our fostering information sessions or explore the fostering resources on our website to understand more about this vital and rewarding role.”

Upcoming fostering events

We’re hosting a series of informal fostering information sessions for prospective foster carers:

Fostering resources

The fostering section on our website contains information to help you decide whether fostering is right for you, such as:

Fostering-friendly employer

We have been recognised as a Fostering Friendly employer by the Fostering Network. The council supports staff who are foster carers, and those who are looking to become foster carers, by offering paid leave and flexible working options.