Published at 15:52, Wednesday, 09 February 2011

AN open day is being held in Cleator Moor for people interested in becoming foster carers.

Family Fostercare NorthWest will be holding an open day next Wednesday (February 16) for anyone interested in becoming a foster carer or who would like more information.

It will be held at 30-34 Phoenix Court, at the Cleator Moor Business Park, between 9am and 5pm.

The organisation is pledging to find and train 12 new foster care families in Copeland and Allerdale over the next year.

Louise Devlin said: “The open day is for anyone who is interesting in finding out more about fostering. On the day people will be able to meet foster carers and find out first-hand what real, day-to-day fostering is like.

“It’s really just an opportunity for local people to find out if fostering could be for them, to meet the team here at Family Fostercare and learn more about what we do. Afterwards, if you think you could offer a child a warm, safe, stable and supportive home, well, then we can go from there.”

The open day reflects the county council’s pledge to recruit more foster carers in Cumbria.

Anne Burns, Cumbria County Council cabinet member responsible for children’s social care, said: “We’ve received more than 80 enquiries to date which is fantastic but we’re hoping there are many more to come.”

A Can You Foster campaign has been set up to show the diversity of foster carers and to encourage applications from people regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, marital or employment status.

Altogether 23 councils across the North West are hoping more people will take up the opportunity to become foster carers this year.

For more information go to: www.youcanfoster.org or ring 0800 634 7052.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk