There are 821 children in care in Devon, but only 336 fostering households.
Almost 70% of those in care are young people aged 11 to 18 years old.
This Foster Care Fortnight (10 – 23 May) our fostering service, ‘Fostering Devon’, is urgently appealing for more people to become foster carers for teenagers.
Emma Nobes, County Manager at Fostering Devon, said:
“Everyone deserves a safe and nurturing place they can call home. We are looking for people who can offer teenagers somewhere they can find their feet, build their self-confidence and develop independence and life skills so they can grow to be successful and responsible adults and reach their full potential.
“You don’t need to have experience of looking after teenagers, but being able to listen, being patient and caring and having a good sense of humour will help!
“Fostering can be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do, and you just need commitment and a spare room to apply.”
Two of our foster carers, Dan and Nickie, have shared what fostering means to them and how fostering a teenager is as life-changing for foster carers as it is for the young people in care. And Lucy, a teenager who is currently in care in Devon, explains the difference her foster carers have made to her life so far. You can read their comments on our News Centre.
If you, or someone you know, has a spare room and commitment to support a teenager in Devon, we’d love to hear from you!
To find out more information about how you can foster for Devon County Council and inspire a future, please visit the Fostering Devon website or call us on 0345 155 1077.
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