Urgent call for foster carers

Friday 08 October 2021

Up to 10 foster carers are urgently needed to help with the growing number of children unable to live safely with their birth families.

There are currently 74 children needing care, and 48 approved foster carers in Jersey.

The Government has launched a recruitment campaign to urgently find between five and 10 new foster families due to an increasing number of young people who cannot live safely with their birth families, as a result of difficulties made worse by the pandemic.

 “We are very fortunate in Jersey to have many wonderful foster parents but there is still a real need for more people to come forward," Mark Owers, Director of Safeguarding and Care, at the Department for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, said.

"We want to be able to offer the right placement, choice, for the children who come into our care.

"Foster carers make a huge difference to the lives of children and young people. Foster carers provide a safe, loving home. With their love and support, the children in their care quickly adapt and often thrive. Dedicated foster carers help to make sure that being in care is no barrier to young people achieving their ambitions. In Jersey we have care leavers with success stories which show that foster carers can literally change lives.”

The Fostering team will be at the Central Market on Saturday (9 October) between 10:00 and 17:00 to speak to islanders who would like to find out more about fostering a child.