Stockport Council celebrates fostering community

Stockport Council hosted a Mad Hatter’s tea party to thank its community of foster carers ahead of this year’s Foster Care Fortnight.

The event, which was held at Ivy Café in Cheadle, provided an opportunity to celebrate and recognise the invaluable role foster carers play improving the lives of children and young people in care across Stockport.

Foster Care Fortnight runs from 12-25 May and is a national campaign, organised by the UK’s leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network. It aims to shine a light on the role of foster carers and highlight the incredible work they do shaping the lives of children and young people in care.

Cllr Wendy Meikle, Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families at Stockport Council said:

“This year’s theme for Foster Care Fortnight is the ‘power of relationships’, and we see the strength of these relationships through the loving homes and brighter futures provided by our dedicated foster carers. We are so proud of our community of foster carers here in Stockport, and I want to thank them for the incredible work they do improving the lives of local children and young people.”

Foster Care Fortnight is also a chance to encourage more people to consider becoming foster carers. In Stockport, there are currently around 500 local children and young people in care and approximately 230 fostering households, so there is an urgent need for more foster carers.

Businesses are also encouraged to become Fostering Friendly Employers, and ensure they have policies in place to support colleagues who chose to foster children in the borough.

Over the two weeks, there are a host of activities happening across Stockport, including events at Merseyway Shopping Centre, Cheadle Mosque and Bramhall Park Run. More information about these events, and details of other regular fostering events, are on Stockport Council’s website.