New film aims to showcase benefit of foster caring
‘OUT THERE’ IS PART OF RECRUITMENT DRIVE
A NEW short film focusing on the urgent need for foster carers has been released.
The short film ‘Out There’, highlights the ways fostering can make a difference to the lives of everyone involved, from the children and young people who live with foster carers, to those who come forward to care for them.
Staffordshire County Council’s Fostering Service teamed up with a range of partners and other councils including the West Midlands Regional Fostering Recruitment Forum who produced the film.
Out There was launched at a special online premiere on Tuesday and is available to watch and share on the fostering service’s Facebook page @Fosterforstaffs, on Twitter or at https://youtu. be/8udhdnowqeq
The authority’s fostering service is aiming to recruit a further 60 families this year and hopes the latest film will help encourage potential families to come forward.
Mark Sutton, cabinet member for children and young people at Staffordshire County Council said: “While we already have many brilliant foster carers in Staffordshire, the reality is we always need more people to open their homes and their hearts to fostering.
“We’re all excited about our latest fostering film, ‘Out There’, which is great and highlights the benefits of fostering to both the young people and to foster carers themselves.
“It’s a beautifully poignant film which really captures many of the thoughts and emotions being felt today, particularly as many people have reflected during the pandemic about their life choices and the importance of community support.
“We’re hoping that people in cities, towns and villages right across the country, share the film on social media and help encourage those thinking about fostering to get in touch with their local council. Our teams are standing by and are ready to help anyone interested in becoming a foster carer.”
A total of 34 local authorities and Children’s Trusts have been involved in the project. The latest offering follows earlier partnership projects between councils in the West Midlands that have produced the award-winning fostering films ‘Giants’ and ‘There was a Boy’.
The partnership is now asking organisations and people to share the film on their social media channels and help the message spread across the UK using the hashtags #Fosterforyourcouncil and #Findthebestofyou.
Staffordshire needs foster carers for children right across the county and is particularly keen to find foster carers for teenagers and for sibling groups of two or more children. Further information on fostering is available at www.fosterforstaffordshire.co.uk