FtSE Member News: Recruiting and retaining foster carers: live discussion

Join us from midday until 2pm Wednesday 16 May to explore what more can be done to ensure there are enough foster homes for children who need them.

Three out of five fostering services are desperately seeking foster carers to ensure that young people can be found the homes they need, according to a recent survey by the Fostering Network.

It says at least 8,750 new foster families must be found across the UK in the next 12 months to avoid a crisis in foster care.

To mark Foster Care Fortnight, a nationwide campaign to encourage more people to foster, we discuss what can be done to establish more much need foster homes, and also how we can best support those who take on this important role.

How can more people be attracted to foster? Is enough being done to campaign for more foster homes? Should foster carers be paid more? Do you know any examples of good practice? Join us from noon until 2pm Wednesday 16 May to discuss all this and more.

Follow the debate on Twitter via @GdnSocialCare, or post your comments below ahead of the discussion.

Panel

Jackie Sanders is head of media and campaigns at the Fostering Network

Richard Cork is a care leaver from Nottingham and a full-time dance student in London

Peter Watt is a dad, a foster carer for eight years and is the director of child protection and awareness at the NSPCC

Rebekah Pearson is a founder member of Fostering Through Social Enterprise, and the chief executive of Community Foster Care

Matt Dunkley is director of children's services at East Sussex county council, and is immediate past president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services

Brenda Farrell is Barnardos' UK assistant director for fostering and adoption

Jane Butler is strategy development manager for children in care with Action for Children

Colin Bent is a trainer consultant at the British Association for Adoption & Fostering (BAAF)

Harvey Gallagher is chief executive of the National Association of Fostering Providers

Paul Corner is assistant director of fostering at Nexus Fostering

Rachael Suthurst is project lead in the establishment and delivery of the You Can Foster recruitment campaign, and marketing officer at Rochdale borough council


Source: www.guardian.co.uk/social-care-network