Online meetings next week as part of campaign aiming to recruit foster carers
TUSLA will be hosting an online information day as it aims to recruit new foster carers for the Sligo, Leitrim and west Cavan area.
The recruitment drive is being held as part of Fostering Fortnight, which takes place every year in the first two weeks of March, recognises the dedication of those involved in providing care and how it transforms lives. There are approximately 5,880 children in care nationally, 115 of whom are in care across the Sligo, Leitrim and Cavan region, with 91 fosters carers on the panel covering all three counties.
They comprise of 78 Tusla foster carers and 13 foster carers from private agencies.
Foster care is the preferred option of care for children who cannot live with their parents as a result of abuse and/or neglect and their parents’ inability to care for them due to a combination of difficulties in their own lives.
Tusla requires a strong pool of foster carers available so as to ensure appropriate matching of child and carers, such a a foster carer’s capacity to care for a child’s assessed needs.
Anyone interested in foster care should possess the following qualities: Enjoy the company of children; flexible attitude and non-judgemental perspective on life; ability to understand and accept a child who has been neglected or abused; ability to help the child understand without prejudice the reason for separation from birth family; openess to training to increase skills and knowledge; openess to involvement with social workers who support and supervise foster care placements.
Tusla welcomes enquiries irrespective of race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, disability or marital status.
There will be two online information sessions held via Microsoft Teams for anyone interested in learning more about fostering on Wednesday, March 10, from 11am to 12 noon and 7pm to 8pm. For further information, call 071 9149681.