Every year in Wales about 500 young people fall out of the formal care system on reaching the age of 18. It means from that moment they are treated as adults, so no longer necessarily receive the support they had each day as children.

Many feel ill-prepared for adult life and find the prospect of supporting themselves overnight as "scary".

A national #YouCanAdopt campaign titled ‘A Life Less Ordinary’ has launched in the West Midlands to find parents for the children waiting the longest to be adopted. Adoption@Heart, the Regional Adoption Agency for the Black Country, is backing the campaign that is highlighting the need for more adopters to come forward for brother and sister groups, children aged 5 and above, children with additional needs and those from ethnic minority backgrounds. 

Scores of fantastic fostering families joined together for a fun-filled day at the annual Fostering Picnic in the Park event last week.

The outdoor event was organised by the City of Wolverhampton Council's Fostering for Wolverhampton team who laid on fun, games and a picnic for foster families in Wolverhampton at Bantock Park on Friday (5 August).

An updated religious education syllabus that respects all children and helps them become happy, confident and ambitious is to go to the city council’s cabinet for adoption. 

Carers and foster parents are being offered a free month's membership to the City of Wolverhampton Council's WV Active leisure centres this August. The offer is open to anyone who provides unpaid care to a family member or friend who has a mental health need, learning disability, physical and sensory disability or who needs extra help as they grow older.

People who want to find out more about fostering for Wolverhampton are being invited to get in touch or take part in an online information event this Foster Care Fortnight (9-22 May).

Information events will take place via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 10 May at 6.30pm and Thursday 19 May at 6.30pm.