This June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate and embrace the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community!
Equal opportunities should exist for all when it comes to fostering a child, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. In this spirit of inclusivity, Five Rivers Child Care have forged a membership with New Family Social, an organisation dedicated to promoting adoption and fostering for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples. We are proud to be able to offer membership to this organisation to our foster carers, making a profound impact on the lives of vulnerable children and the foster carers who provide them with loving homes. Through this membership, our foster carers can gain access to a wealth of resources, support, and networking opportunities.
“Foster carers play a vital role in supporting looked-after children, but they can be overlooked with the focus often on adoption services. However, with some 78,150 children being looked after in England alone there’s a desperate need for more people to consider fostering.”
New Family Social
Empowering LGBTQ+ Foster Carers
This ensures that LGBTQ+ foster carers receive specialised training and guidance tailored to their unique experiences. This support not only benefits the carers but also enhances the lives of the children in their care. LGBTQ+ foster carers bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and cultural backgrounds, enriching the lives of the children and promoting acceptance and understanding.
“It’s vital for LGBTQ+ people to see themselves in the recruitment materials agencies use. That’s why LGBTQ+ people need to hear stories from LGBTQ+ people who’ve already adopted or now foster at information events and at training courses.”
James Lawrence, Head of Communications & Engagement, New Family Social
Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges
This collaboration with New Family Social is a testament to their shared vision of creating a society where every child can thrive in a loving and accepting home. By actively working together, they are dismantling barriers that have historically hindered LGBTQ+ individuals from becoming foster carers. They are paving the way for a more inclusive foster care system and inspiring other organizations to follow suit.
Together, we can all continue to champion equality and diversity in the world of foster care.
Commenting on raising awareness around LGBTQ+ foster carers, Martin Leitch, Head of Fostering Operations at Five Rivers Child Care, said: “One’s gender, sexuality, religion or ethnicity does not stop them from fostering. Some of our most amazing foster carers are from the LGBTQ+ community and are enriching children’s and young people’s lives every day. It’s also extremely important to us that we have foster carers from all backgrounds to reflect the diversity of those youngsters in the care system.”
Five Rivers Child Care is looking for foster carers who can provide a safe and stable home for those in need. Prospective foster carers must be interested in making a positive difference to the lives of children and young people in care, be over the age of 21 and have a spare furnished room for each child. Single people, co-habiting couples, LGBTQ+ couples and those living in rented accommodation have the opportunity to become foster carers.
For more information on fostering as an LGBTQ+ individual and for fostering queries in general, visit fostering at Five Rivers, contact the enquiries team on 0345 266 0272 or email carer.enquiries@five-rivers.org
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