Adoption in the Black Country & Adoption Focus, the regional adoption consortium has been selected by the BBC to support them in developing an adoption storyline in a leading soap-opera.

Long running Radio 4 soap The Archers are planning a significant story around characters adopting and have approached Adoption in the Black Country & Adoption Focus to help them ensure the portrayal of the process is as accurate as possible.

Ian Groom from the regional adoption consortium said “we are delighted that the BBC has chosen Adoption in the Black Country & Adoption Focus to help them ensure the story truly reflects what the adoption process today looks like. It’s great to be approached and shows how well respected the consortium is on a national scale”

“We’ve been asked not to say too much about the script at the moment but we are really pleased to see the needs for more adopters highlighted in such a positive way”

To find out more about adopting one child or more go to www.adoptionblackcountry.co.uk or come along to the regional adoption information events on 17^th August  at The Village Hotel, Dudley.  No need to register, just come along at 6pm

People interested in becoming foster carers can find out more about this vital role at a special Fostering Friday event taking place today (7 April, 2017).

Members of the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Fostering for Wolverhampton team, along with local foster care champions, will be in Queen Square on the Fostering for Wolverhampton recruitment bus from 10am to 4pm, to have an informal chat with anyone considering becoming a foster carer.

Foster families are helping to give scores of children in Wolverhampton the best possible future by offering them a supportive environment and a loving home.

But more foster carers are urgently needed as there are dozens of children waiting for a home, and the Fostering for Wolverhampton team are keen to hear from individuals and couples who want to make a difference to a local child.

The support available to foster carers in Wolverhampton from the council was praised by Ofsted in its recent inspection of Children’s Services, which it judged “Good”.Inspectors found that “foster carers talk very positively about the quality and flexibility of the support they receive”, while the council is “delivering improved outcomes for children and young people”.

Councillor Val Gibson, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We are very lucky to have so many dedicated foster carers who combine a desire to help children with a commitment to providing the best possible care, but we have more youngsters who are looking for a foster home.

“Fostering can truly be a life-changing experience, both for foster carers and the young person they care for. We'd love to hear from people who have both a spare room and of course love in their heart to help local children by fostering, and in return can offer high quality support to help them carry out this vital role.”

Foster carers can be sole carers, married or in a relationship – and they won't be on their own as help and support is available 24 hours a day. They will receive six months' “buddy support” from experienced foster carers who are there to befriend and guide them through the system.

Supervising social workers provide intensive support for the first six weeks of a placement and then every month thereafter, while foster carers can get help through a peer support network.

Placements can be anything from a few days to a number of years, and carers receive a regular, tax exempt fee and allowance to cover the cost of bringing up the child.

As well as the Fostering Friday drop-in event, people can also find out more about becoming a foster carer by visiting www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/fostering or by calling 01902 551133.

The Fostering Friday event is just one of a series of free events to support local people during Residents Week (1-7 April).

People interested in becoming foster carers can find out more about this vital role at a special Fostering Friday event taking place on Friday 7 April, 2017.

Members of the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Fostering for Wolverhampton team, along with local foster care champions, will be in Queen Square on the Fostering for Wolverhampton recruitment bus from 10am to 4pm, to have an informal chat with anyone considering becoming a foster carer.

Foster families are helping to give scores of children in Wolverhampton the best possible future by offering them a supportive environment and a loving home.

But more foster carers are urgently needed as there are dozens of children waiting for a home, and the Fostering for Wolverhampton team are keen to hear from individuals and couples who want to make a difference to a local child.

Councillor Val Gibson, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We are very lucky to have so many dedicated foster carers who combine a desire to help children with a commitment to providing the best possible care, but we have more youngsters who are looking for a foster home.

“Fostering can truly be a life-changing experience, both for foster carers and the young person they care for. We'd love to hear from people who have both a spare room and of course love in their heart to help local children by fostering.”

Foster carers can be sole carers, married or in a relationship – and they won't be on their own as help and support is available 24 hours a day. They will receive six months' “buddy support” from experienced foster carers who are there to befriend and guide them through the system.

Supervising social workers provide intensive support for the first six weeks of a placement and then every month thereafter, while foster carers can get help through a peer support network.

Placements can be anything from a few days to a number of years, and carers receive a regular, tax exempt fee and allowance to cover the cost of bringing up the child.

Fosterline England has today launched a campaign to motivate people from all backgrounds to consider if they can care enough to become a foster carer.  The exciting new campaign to recruit foster carers entitled #OneMoreHome is commencing on May 8, 2017 and crosses all social media platforms.

It encourages everyone who comes into contact with the social media ‘Thunderclap’ campaign to support and share the message on social media, use the hashtag, download posters from www.onemorehome.co.uk, and to contact the service if they feel inspired to become a foster carer.

There are more children waiting to be taken into foster care now than in recent years.  In 2016, Ofsted uncovered that the number of applications to become a foster carer plunged by one-third. That’s a fall of over 5,400 applications, compared to the previous year.  Additionally, more foster carers are needed for those from sibling groups, teenagers, black and minority ethnic groups, those with disabilities and asylum seeking children.

Steve Stockley - Fosterline Manager, said: “In the last 12 months, Fosterline received over 12,500 contacts from people seeking information on how to become a foster carer, or find a fostering service.  We are asking for people to step forward who might consider fostering because of their own experiences, their inspiration by other foster carers, or by the stories of looked after children and young people, and add one more home to the growing numbers that require a stable environment.

“As a foster carer myself people say that they admire what I do, but feel that they couldn’t do it themselves.  Whether you think you could foster or not; you can assist by sharing our campaign among your social media networks.  Help us to help the fostering services, in finding foster carers to support our looked after children and young people.”

Wolverhampton has officially thanked dozens of long-serving foster carers for the vital work they do looking after vulnerable children and young people in the city. The City of Wolverhampton Council's Fostering for Wolverhampton team recognised the long service of 29 foster carers at a ceremony at the Ramada Park Hall Hotel.