Stockport Council is one of 23 local authorities backing the #youcanfoster campaign which aims to address the shortage of foster carers in Stockport and in the North West, and to dispel some of the out-dated misconceptions about children in foster care as well as those who are eligible to foster.  

Stockport’s fostering service has been supporting the region wide recruitment campaign since September highlighting the need for more than 700 new Local Authority fostering households and inviting local people to do something incredible in Stockport.

A recent recruitment event attracted over 10 households and Jason, a local Council foster carer who shared his experiences of fostering at the event said “the room was full of potential foster carers…it was wonderful to see a diverse crowd of people representing the community of people across Stockport who were interested in fostering our local children”

Councillor Colin Foster Stockport Council’s Executive Member for Children and Family Services, said: “This joint campaign has clearly helped increase the awareness of the need of foster carers for Stockport’s local authority.  It has encouraged local residents to think about whether they are in a positive position to provide a loving home for our older local children and to encourage them to enquire with their local authority. 

“Fostering teenagers can be challenging at times but it can also be very rewarding to support the development of a young person. Finding people with the right skills to foster older children is a priority for Stockport Council and our foster carers benefit from the support and training the local authority provides to them.”

Stockport Council is currently looking to attract people to come forward to consider fostering teenagers and brothers and sisters for a wide range of fostering schemes. The carers receive a full training package, ongoing support, a tax-free allowance and a financial package for each young person each week.  

Applications are welcomed from a wide variety of backgrounds, including single, married, in a civil partnership, living in your own home, rented or council accommodation.

The council’s fostering service holds regular monthly open evenings on the first Tuesday of every month at Stockport Town Hall starting at 6pm for anyone interested in finding out more about becoming a foster carer for Stockport Council.

For more information on becoming a foster carer for Stockport Council call 0161 474 3400 or visit the website www.stockport.gov.uk/fostering.