Five Rivers Child Care, which operates across England, is calling on members of the LGBTQ+ community to consider a career in foster care, to help tackle a shortage of carers in the region.
With a shortfall of 1,020 foster carers in the South East, Five Rivers Child Care is looking to welcome foster carers from the LGBTQ+ community across the county to support long term and short-term placements, as well as offer themselves for respite care.
Though there are lots of misconceptions on who can become a foster carer, people from all walks of life can become foster carers as long as they are over 21 years of age. This includes same-sex couples and people living in rented accommodation. The only requirement is a spare room for each foster child.
Throughout 2020, Five Rivers Child Care will be holding a series of information events across East Sussex to inform and educate prospective LGBTQ+ foster carers or those interested in learning more about the profession.
Jem Orman, fostering services manager for Five Rivers Child Care in the South and South East, said: “Our foster children come from all walks of life and so, we want our foster carers reflect this diversity, as well as being able to relate to what our children might be going through as they grow up.
“Making the move into fostering is not an easy choice, but it’s incredibly rewarding. Over the next 12 months, we’re hoping to tackle the misconceptions the LGBTQ+ community might have around becoming a foster carer in East Sussex, and to help them understand the difference they could make to the life of a young person.”
Five Rivers Child Care will be posting further details about their upcoming events in the New Year across their social channels on Facebook or Twitter.
For more information on fostering with Five Rivers Child Care, visit www.five-rivers.org, call 0345 266 0272 or email
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