East Sussex Councillor Calls For More Local Authority Foster Carers

 A campaign to encourage more people to consider fostering for their local authority was highlighted at a Full Council meeting last week.

Cllr Bob Bowdler, lead member for children and families at East Sussex County Council, spoke directly to those attending the meeting about the need for more families to foster direct through the council’s in-house fostering service.

Councillors received a fostering tool kit containing posters and leaflets about the East Sussex Fostering Service, which they have been asked to distribute and display across the county to promote local authority fostering.

The powerful fostering recruitment film, Any of Us, was also shown at the meeting.

The film, which was produced last year by a partnership of over 80 councils and children’s trusts to promote in-house fostering, aims to show that ‘any of us’ could foster and make a positive difference to a child’s life.

Cllr Bowdler said:

"Sadly we always have children in need of care, and I urge any residents who may have thought about fostering to contact the council direct to find out more about our in-house fostering service.

“The East Sussex Fostering Service is solely dedicated to supporting local children and young people who need our help and support.

“To our councillors, on behalf of this council, Children’s Services and most importantly on behalf of the children and young people in our care for whom you are their Corporate Parents, please spread this message as widely as you possibly can.”

As the local authority, East Sussex County Council are responsible for finding and matching a fostering placement for every single child in East Sussex who needs care, from newborn babies to teenagers.

The council always matches children’s placements with its own foster carers first as this ensures better outcomes for the children, young people, and the foster carers.

Support and advice is available to East Sussex County Council foster carers, day or night and every foster carer has a dedicated social worker who is locally based in East Sussex. In addition, a 24-hour telephone helpline is available, seven days a week.

For more information on fostering with East Sussex County Council and to view the film ‘Any of Us’ visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/children-families/children-in-care/fostering/become-foster-carer