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Make a difference - foster a child

Why foster?

More about fostering

Children of all ages need foster care for a whole range of reasons. It may be due to family breakdown, illness or other health problems such as alcohol or substance misuse problems. Whatever the reason, we believe that children are entitled to a safe, caring home environment where they will be given the support and nurture they need to develop through those crucially important formative years.

Many fostered children return to their own families once challenges have been addressed. Sometimes, this is not possible and foster care may become permanent or lead to adoption. Adoption and fostering are very different.

Foster care can take a range of different formats. It can be emergency or short break care, or short or long term. They all have challenges and rewards, and the more people learn about fostering the more they realise which type of fostering they and their family are most suited to.

Of course, nothing cements your foster care skills better than the experience of doing it. Read these case studies for an insight into being a carer, and also see the videos of carer's sharing their experiences.

Why do we need foster carers?

In a survey a few years ago, local authorities in Scotland were asked how many foster families they would have to recruit to offer placement choice to the children in their care. Placement choice means having a sufficiently wide pool of foster families so that each child can live with a family that meets their individual needs.

Scotland is currently short of around 1700 foster families – this campaign aims to reduce that shortage in the South and East Scotland regions, and to work towards providing the best possible outcomes for fostered children in Scotland.

This is the first time the City of Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian and Scottish Borders councils have worked together to recruit foster carers across the South and East regions. By sharing resources and expertise, we hope to improve the experience for you as a potential foster carer, and also for thousands of Scotland’s children who find themselves in need of foster care.

For more information on fostering in your area see the useful links page.