Appeal launched for carers from black and minority ethnic communities (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Appeal launched for carers from black and minority ethnic communities

10:18am Monday 25th February 2013 in News

GLOUCESTERSHIRE County Council is appealing for people from the black and minority ethnic (BME) communities to consider fostering and adoption.

Adopters are needed for children of all ages, including babies and toddlers but foster carers are particularly needed for older children, teenagers and siblings.

There are currently 52 BME children in care in Gloucestershire, which is 10 per cent of all children in care in the county and 18 BME foster carers in the county, which is five per cent of foster care households.

Councillor Paul McLain, GCC cabinet member for children and young people, said: "We need more people from the black and minority ethnic communities to come forward to foster and adopt. “We want to offer local BME children the chance to be cared for and brought up within their own cultural background and ethnic origin.

“Our children deserve the best possible start in life. That means offering the opportunity to foster and adopt to the widest possible range of people. It is always our ambition to find a family to reflect the child's ethnicity.”

Foster carers and adopters can be from all backgrounds and sections of the community but need to be over 21 years old and have a spare room in their home.

People are also needed with sufficient space to foster sibling groups so that brothers and sisters can stay together and have their own room.

Anyone interested in fostering can contact GCC’s fostering team on 01242 532654 or visit gloucestershire.gov.uk/fostering.

They can also contact either Saleha Moolla, field support worker, on 01452 425007 or Marzena Trojanowska, Community Agent, on 07785 363842.

The county council is holding information stands and drop in sessions during February and March as part of the recruitment drive for people to come along and find out more about fostering. They are at: • St Catherine’s Court, 2 Wheatstone Road, Tredworth, Gloucester GL1 4PX tomorrow 7pm-9pm (drop in evening) • Sainsburys, Gallagher Retail Park, Cheltenham on Wednesday 10am-4pm (information stand) • The Trust Centre, Conduit Street, Gloucester on Thursday 7pm-9pm (drop in evening). Field support worker, Saleha Moolla, and Community Agent, Marzena Trojanowska, will be attending together with a foster carer.

• Sainsburys, Stroud on Friday 10am-4pm (information stand) • Asda, Gloucester on Wednesday, March 6 10am-4pm (information stand)