As we mark Foster Care Fortnight from May 8th - May 22nd, we encourage you to share information with anyone who may be a potential foster carer.

Councils and charities across our region are in need of more foster carers from all walks of life, to help give a loving home to hundreds of children.

Christian and fostering champion Phil Watson and his family have been fostering for Liverpool City Council, which has 1,500 looked after children, since 2010. Please read Phil's blog entitled: Can religious people foster?

Foster Care Fortnight 2

Please share Phil's blog with anyone who may be considering fostering.

Phil says: "It can be challenging, exhausting, hilarious, but above all rewarding. I can see the difference we are making to the children we have looked after. We have fostered seven kids since we started. We had one little lad for four hours and one kid for over eight years! We can’t solve all their problems, but we know when those kids are with us, they are safe."

Foster carers need to be over 21, be in reasonably good health and have a spare room. You can be of any background, creed, culture, heritage or sexual orientation. You can be single, in a relationship, own your home or rent. You don’t need to give up work to foster, as long as your work is flexible enough to cope with the demands of looking after a child.

As well as being paid, foster carers are exempt from Council Tax and get free Lifestyles Gym Membership. Full training and support is given. Liverpool City Council are actively looking to find new carers.

Anyone interested in fostering in Liverpool can contact Phil by email.