This Black History Month, Foster for East Midlands Councils is celebrating the invaluable contribution of our Black foster carers and recognising the positive impact they have on the lives of local children and young people.
Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements, cultures and contributions of Black communities while reflecting on the importance of representation, inclusion and opportunity. It is also an opportunity to encourage more people from Black communities to consider fostering and help ensure children can grow up in homes where their culture, identity and heritage are understood and celebrated.
Across the East Midlands, children in care come from a wide range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. Having foster carers who can relate to a child's lived experiences, celebrate their identity and help them stay connected to their culture can make a lasting difference to their confidence, sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing.
Foster carers support children in many ways, from celebrating cultural traditions and preparing familiar foods to encouraging conversations about identity and helping children build strong connections with their families and communities. Every child deserves to feel seen, valued and proud of who they are.
Foster for East Midlands Councils welcomes foster carers from all backgrounds and is particularly encouraging more people from Black communities to come forward. Increasing the diversity of foster carers helps ensure more children can be matched with families who understand and reflect their cultural heritage while providing the safe, stable and loving home every child deserves.
Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Lead Cabinet Member for Fostering for the East Midlands, said:
Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the enormous contribution Black foster carers make to children, families and our communities. Representation matters, and having foster carers who understand a child's culture, heritage and identity can have a profound impact on their sense of belonging and wellbeing. We would encourage more people from Black communities to find out about fostering and discover how they could make a lasting difference to a local child's life.
Anyone interested in finding out more about fostering is invited to attend a drop-in information event on Sunday 8 November, between 11am and 3pm, at Sherwood Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG5 3FN. Visitors can drop in at any time to meet the Foster for East Midlands team, ask questions in an informal setting and learn more about the support available to foster carers.
To learn more about becoming a foster carer, the support available and how to apply, call 03033 132950, or visit Foster for East Midlands website.
Watch inspiring videos of our foster carers as they share their fostering journeys.