The Family Values Programme

Fostering or adopting a child is a hugely compassionate act. Not only do you enrich the life of that child in the present but you offer them a surer footing from which to take on the future. I often think of the Frederik Douglass quote “it is easier to build strong children than repair broken men” when I consider the impact of effective fostering and adoption. It is an immeasurable act of kindness on the part of the foster carer or adopter and I never cease to be amazed by that benevolence.

However,despite the large number of people willing to share their homes and open up their families the demand for foster placements and adoptive parents is still growing. Simply put, we need more. As of last summer (2013) it was projected that the UK would need a further 9,000 foster carers to meet the present demand for placements. The task at hand, therefore, is to recruit more foster carers. In part, this is why we created the Family Values programme. To address the shortfall in foster carers and prospective adopters and to help improve the life chances of children in care.

Family Values operates as a network of like minded local authorities all committed to innovation in fostering and adoption. Where new methods and approaches are trialled, tested and rolled out to support the recruitment of carers and prospective adopters. We’re currently in the process of inviting expressions of interest for entry into the programme and we would encourage those keen to explore more innovative practice in fostering and adoption to get in touch with me at jcooper@impower.co.uk