A LEADING independent fostering agency has launched a new recruitment campaign to address the shortage of foster carers in Bolton and other regional towns.

Called ‘Finding Room to Foster’, the campaign draws on the moments when people from Foster Care Associates (FCA) in the region found that special time in their life to make the important decision to foster – making room both emotionally and physically in their home.

FCA, which has a regional office in Warrington, has many carers who have made room in their lives, including Dan and Christina Duxbury, who began fostering with FCA when Dan’s army career brought him back to a UK-based recruitment role.

Dan said: “During my time as an army medic I was taken to some harrowing places and an operational tour to Rwanda in 1994 was particularly challenging. That experience made me promise myself that I would try to help anyone who couldn’t help themselves. That was the starting point I suppose, and from then, fostering was always something Christina and I were going to do.

“We’ve been fostering with FCA since 2006 and have fostered 19 children, ranging from a day-old baby to older teenagers and very quickly they become part of our family unit.

"The training from FCA has been really helpful and because of my background as a trainer in the army I’ve even had the opportunity to deliver training to other carers. I’m now training to be a social worker thanks to the invaluable experience I’ve gained through being a foster carer.”

Debbie Smith, operations manager for FCA North West, said: “We’ve been working with children and young people for 21 years and our experience shows that one-to-one support in a family setting is the best way to help these children achieve stability and positive outcomes.

"Our team of social care professionals work closely with our foster carers to deliver intensive, holistic support tailored to the individual needs of each young person and carer.”

“We have the best foster carers across the North West and hope our ‘Finding Room to Foster’ campaign will encourage more people in the region to make room in their life and seriously consider becoming a foster carer.”

For more information on becoming a foster carer with FCA: call 0800 022 4012 or visit www.thefca.co.uk