That’s the message from Wiltshire Council as it encourages more people to come forward and provide loving homes for children in Wiltshire.

This Foster Care Fortnight the council wants more foster carers to join and provide stability and safety so children and young people in care can thrive.
The team will be at events throughout Wiltshire as well as holding online drop in chats so people can talk to foster carers and the team and find out more.

Wiltshire Council foster carers have been sharing how sport has played a part in helping young people build confidence, self-esteem and improve their emotional well-being.

Carer Joeanne explained the pride of helping her two young children who were non-swimmers to winning badges and one starting rookie lifeguard training.

She explained the importance of “celebrating every tiny success as it really helps with their self-esteem.”

Spencer and his wife Lisa have seen the positive impact on the young person they care for. Spencer said: “He’s passionate about sport. He’s become such a part of our community with all the different things he does, his work with the homeless he’s become involved with because of his experiences in the past and sport is just one way he feels his identity in Salisbury is stronger.  

"He loves karate, football...he loves going to the gym, he loves running.

"It’s so important to him for his physical health, but also his mental health, because he gets that opportunity to bond with all the people around him that he’s competing sport in or within his team and it’s a really important part of who he is and he gets such strength out of it both emotionally and physically.”

The council has recently increased its fostering payments ranging now from £400 to £740 per week per child depending on the type of fostering and experience.

Wiltshire Times: 'Sport is just one way to built a strong identity' - Spencer'Sport is just one way to built a strong identity' - Spencer (Image: Wiltshire Council)

Cllr Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “You never know how your nurturing can unlock potential in a child or young person. Our foster carers are the very best examples of how by providing a stable, loving home children can feel safe and move forward in what they want to do in life.

"Not everyone will be a sports superstar but with the right support and love they will be able to take on challenges and be free to be the person they are meant to be. I hear wonderful stories of how our foster carers are making such a positive difference to a child’s life and I would love more people to join our incredible group of carers and be that amazing inspiration to a young person.”

Foster carers need to be aged 21 and over, have a spare bedroom, time to care for a child and a willingness to seek to understand young people who have experienced trauma and loss.

For more information visit: Fostering Home - Fostering with Wiltshire Council

Email fostering@wiltshire.gov.uk

Tel: 0800 169 6321 or text the word Foster to 60002.