Fostering Hampshire Children, Hampshire County Council’s fostering service, has launched a powerful new campaign, including an emotive video, asking local residents to imagine the plight of an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child (UASC), and the difference they could make to that child as a foster carer.
Councillor Edward Heron, the County Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in Hampshire have often faced unimaginable trauma – both at home, and on the journey here. These difficulties are further compounded by a complete lack of familiarity with their new surroundings, as well as the language and culture – and all of this, when they are still only children.
“This is where our foster carers come in. We desperately need more nurturing individuals to provide a secure and positive presence in these children’s lives; to help them settle into a new way of life and to provide the opportunities they need to truly thrive. If you are aged 21 or above, have a spare room and want to change the life of a vulnerable child, while learning about another culture, please do get in touch.”
The new campaign is set to run over the next 12 months and comes alongside the County Council’s ongoing search to find 150 new fostering households in Hampshire by the end of 2023.
Visit the Fostering Hampshire Children website to find out more about UASC fostering, upcoming events, and for more information about the extensive training and support available for foster carers.