Are you a passionate individual residing in Surrey with a desire to make a tangible difference in the lives of children in need? Surrey County Council is on the lookout for compassionate individuals to help address the critical shortage of foster carers in the region.
The Urgent Need for Foster Carers in Surrey
Surrey faces a pressing challenge: over 130 children are in dire need of supportive, loving homes. This foster care crisis disproportionately affects teenagers, sibling groups, and children facing vulnerabilities, complicating the process of securing suitable placements. Currently, the shortage has led to many children being placed far from their home communities, severing ties with familiar surroundings, friends, and essential support networks. Surrey aims to reverse this trend and ensure children remain as close to their roots as possible.
Calling a Diverse Generation of Carers
In an effort to mirror the diverse needs of the children it serves, Surrey County Council is especially keen on welcoming potential foster parents aged 21-45, from various racial backgrounds. The council is focusing on areas like Epsom and Ewell, known for its higher Black population, and Woking, with its significant Asian community, to find foster parents who can provide culturally sensitive care. Anyone can be a foster carer.
The Impact of Fostering
Becoming a foster carer is an unparalleled opportunity to positively shape a child's future. The need for foster homes is particularly acute for teenagers, siblings, and children with additional needs. If fostering has ever crossed your mind, there's no better time to take the leap. Somewhere in Surrey, a child could greatly benefit from your care, love, and guidance.
Take the Next Step
If you're interested in learning more about becoming a foster carer and believe you can offer a nurturing environment for a child, we encourage you to reach out. Visit Surrey County Council's fostering information page to discover how you can start your journey towards making a profound difference in a child's life.
Clare Curran, Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Lifelong Learning at Surrey County Council said:
Our foster carers are the very backbone of the care system in Surrey. These families open their hearts and homes to vulnerable children and young people, providing the love, care, and support they need. We know that foster carers can transform young lives. They are heroes to many children; foster carers are ordinary people who do extraordinary things.
Surrey would like to welcome more carers to foster children who cannot live safely with their birth families. We aim to keep those children closer to their social networks, their schools, and all the support services that wrap around them and their carers.
