Foster Care Fortnight, the UK’s biggest awareness campaign, takes place between 12-25 May. This year’s theme is ‘The Power of Relationships’, because at the heart of every fostering journey are the connections that make all the difference.

Foster Carers give children and young people who cannot live with their birth family the care and stability they need. Strong, trusting relationships run through every fostering story. Whether it’s the bond between a foster carer and a child, the support of social workers, the friendships built within fostering communities, or the connections with birth families, these relationships shape lives, create stability, and open new possibilities for the future.  

Leeds City Council recognises and values the contribution that foster carers make to society and especially the lives of children in care in Leeds and are committed to support any staff member who is a foster carer or an approved kinship carer or may be interesting in becoming one. We understand that foster carers who do other work in addition to fostering need some flexibility in their working arrangements to meet the needs of their fostered children.

In line with our Best City Ambition and our Child Friendly Leeds Ambition, we recognise the important role we must lead the way, starting with our employees.

We already have an amazing community of over 700 Foster4Leeds carers, but still urgently need new people to join us and offer a safe and loving home to children and young people in Leeds.

All Foster4Leeds carers receive full training, financial support and a wide range of benefits, events, activities, and discounts. We also provide a range of ongoing support, ensuring you are part of our fostering community.

If you are over 21 and have a spare bedroom, you could be eligible to foster. There are different types of fostering which could suit your lifestyle, including long-term and short-term care, emergency care, parent and child, supported lodgings, and more.

Our foster4Leeds team are here to answer questions from everyone, from those people who are completely new to the idea of fostering and what it entails, to those who are further on their journey and are ready to talk to an adviser.

To find out more about Foster4Leeds and the role of a foster carer, hear from current carers, learn more about benefits and support, and see upcoming information event dates and locations, visit https://bit.ly/4jVnHXd.

Leeds City Council