Foster or Adopt

Every child deserves a nurturing family, but for a million different reasons, not all children have a family to care for them. That’s where you could step in! ;)

There were over 89,000 looked after children in the UK in 2011, and over half of those come into the care system as survivors of abuse and neglect (NSPCC). In the US, there are nearly half a million children in the care system and over 115,000 children are waiting for permanent, loving families.

Foster carers have never been more desperately needed in the UK. Following the death of baby Peter Connolly, the number of children being taken into care increased  between 2008 and 2011 from 81,315 to 89,620.

The effects of the trauma and feelings of rejection that many looked-after kids suffer makes fostering a challenging business, but ultimately it is one of the most satisfying and rewarding ways of caring for children. It is probably the way you can most directly help a child to reach their full potential.

If you have lots of energy, understanding, patience and a sense of humor and want to change a child’s life for the better then fostering may be for you. If you are thinking of fostering, the links below might be a helpful place to start your journey.

As a foster child myself I would not be where I am today without the people that were kind enough to help and care for me when others were unable. Please please consider fostering a child. – Samantha Morton, Oscar nominated actress.

Fostering and Adoption Information – UK

  1. CouldYouFoster.Org –  Find out whether you have the skills and qualities it takes to become a foster carer.
  2. As the UK’s leading charity for foster care, The Fostering Network provide a wide range of information and resources for everyone involved in fostering.They also work directly with the fostering community across the UK through various projects.
  3. Government advice on everything related to fostering, adoption and children in care, including: becoming a foster carer, training and financial information for foster carers, your rights as a parent, the adoption process, and much more.
  4.  The British Association For Adoption and Fostering are in their 30th year of supporting, advising and campaigning for better outcomes for children in care. They work with everyone involved with adoption and fostering across the UK, providing training, family-finding, conferences, adoption activity days, and more.
  5.  Fostering in the UK provide comprehensive information foster care. They provide anyone in the UK thinking about applying to become a foster carer with a lot of useful information on foster care that can help them in reaching any decision.
  6. London Boroughs are jointly participating in a project to recruit more foster carers and adopters using the internet. There is information and children’s features from most London Boroughs available.
  7. Barnardo’s is an independent fostering agency with over 100 years’ experience of finding families for children.
  8. Become a foster carer with Action For Children.

 

Fostering and Adoption – GLOBAL

USA

  1.  Adopt US Kids offer an array of services to both families and child welfare professionals. From tips and resources to an extensive database of children in U.S. foster care available for adoption and families who are home studied and approved to adopt them.
  2. The mission of Families Like Ours (FLO) is to overcome barriers for all families that wish to adopt, regardless of family structure.

AUSTRALIA

  1.  The Foster Care Association strives to promote the interest of Foster Carers with all Care Agencies of Western Australia. They deliver services to Carers and their families which enhance their ability to respond to the challenge of fostering.
  2.  Government advice on becomming a foster carer.

 

FOSTERING INFORMATION – INTERNATIONAL

  1. The International Foster Care Organisation is the only international network dedicated to the promotion and support of family foster care all over the world.
  2. Fostering First International provides fostering services in Europe, South East Asia, Australasia and North America, working in partnership with the public authorities responsible for child protection and out of home care.

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