The Department of Health is looking for advertising agencies to
pitch for a pounds 2 million campaign to recruit more foster
parents.
The initiative is being co-ordinated by the health minister, John
Hutton, and is part of the Government’s aim to move young people out of
care homes and into families.
It will be the first time that a national recruitment campaign for
fostering has run in the UK.
The Central Office of Information is writing a brief and will be
speaking to roster agencies in the coming weeks to draw up a
shortlist.
It is not thought that any of the COI roster agencies have been
approached about the business as yet.
The campaign, which launches next spring, will run on national and local
television and radio.
Potential carers can receive information packs by calling a telephone
response line. Those who are interested will be put in touch with local
authorities.
’It is important that we increase the number of foster carers. They are
a crucial resource and if we are able to achieve our target of avoiding
unnecessary changes in placement we need more people prepared to act as
foster carers,’ Hutton said.
There were more than 55,000 children in local authority care in March
this year. Around 36,000 of those have been fostered.
The Government first announced its intention to modernise its approach
to children’s social services last year with its ’Quality Protects’
programme.
The aim is not just to prevent abuse but to give children who have been
in care more opportunities for the future.
