Campaign launched to find foster carers for teenagers in North East Lincolnshire

With a national shortage of foster carers, the council want to reach out to the community to consider welcoming a local child or young person into their home.

The campaign aims to challenge the preconceptions that people may have around teenagers and seeks to remind people that every child, no matter what age, deserves a loving and safe home.

As part of the campaign, stories from current Foster Carers have been captured to showcase how transformative fostering can be for both child and foster carer. Andy and Michelle (pictured) have been fostering for 4 years and have shared their fostering journey with the hope it encourages others to consider taking that step to enquiring. 

Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children and education at North East Lincolnshire Council, said:

“In the last year we’ve seen many local people come forward to foster a child, offering their love and support to a young person.

“This latest campaign aims to recruit people to become foster carers of teenagers in particular.

“It can be challenging for local authorities to find foster carers for teenagers, but actually those foster carers who do foster teenagers tend to tell us that actually teenagers bring them the most joy.

“So this fostering fortnight, we’re taking the opportunity to team up with partners, colleagues, and our current foster carers, to really champion the opportunity of fostering a teenager.

“Finally, I want to take this chance to say how fantastic our foster carers are. They are amazing people, doing an amazing thing, and fostering fortnight is about celebrating them and their work. Thank you.”

To find out more about becoming a foster carer and joining the fostering community in North East Lincolnshire, visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/fostering.