Foster Care Fortnight is on now until May 22 and Monmouthshire County Council’s Fostering Team is celebrating the differences that foster carers have made to children’s lives in Monmouthshire.

From foster carers who have shown dedication over many years, to those just starting their fostering journey to help give children a better future.

Foster Wales Monmouthshire wants to encourage more people to become foster carers for their local authority so that children can remain in their local area, be close to their friends and family and remain in their school wherever possible. This can help children and young people retain their sense of identity during a time of transition. It keeps them connected and helps to build stability and confidence.

Most people don’t realise it’s their local authority, local council, who take care of children when their family are experiencing difficulties or when children are living with abusive and neglectful situations, and it’s your local authority who finds them a safe place and is responsible for them.

There is a wealth of knowledge in the Foster Wales Monmouthshire local authority fostering team and dedicated social workers who all work together with local families and local schools to build better futures for local children.

MCC would encourage people not just to foster, but to foster with their local authority, which is part of Foster Wales, the national network of 22 not-for-profit local authorities responsible for the children in our care.

Hope was fostered at the age of 12 and talks positively about her experiences with her foster family who she is still close to today.

Looking back at her time as a foster child she says: “I would foster, because I’ve seen what it can do.

‘‘The impact you can have on a child can be really massive. Wanting to be there and look after that child who needs it the most, to give them the best outcome in life. Because, what more does a child want than to just feel loved and good enough?”

Hope encourages others to think about fostering.

“If you can bring empathy and open mindedness and just safety, a place where a child will feel good enough to thrive, to be who they are meant to be then you should do it. You should definitely do it.”

If anyone is interested in finding out how you can foster then visit the website - fosterwales.monmouthshire.gov.uk/