Under article 12 of the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), all children have the right to say what they think should happen and be listened to. At The Fostering Network, we believe this is important and that all care experienced children and young people should have the opportunity to share their ideas, opinions, and experiences.
We work with care experienced children and young people across the UK to better understand their experiences of foster care and give them opportunities to use their voices and campaign on issues that are important to them.
What do we do?
We have a variety of opportunities for young people across the UK to participate in our work and have their voice heard, so no matter where you are, there’s something for you!
- England - Mockingbird Activity Days
Through our Mockingbird programme, we run creative workshops for young people
In Wales, our youth advisory board is for people aged 14-25 who are in or have been in foster care. This is an opportunity to campaign for change in the foster care system and to have your voice heard.
Our young people's advisory board in Scotland is made up of young people aged 16 to 21 who are in or have been in foster care or are children of foster carers. They meet fortnightly online and around every 8 weeks in person to work on their key priorities, which include improving transitions from care and tackling stigma around care experience.
- Northern Ireland
Step Up Step Down (SUSD)- supports families on the edge of care, with trauma-informed, nurturing and collaborative approaches. As well as specific supports such as mentoring and training for parents and carers, children and young people are supported in a range of ways. Family Support Foster Carers provide short breaks packed with great activities that the children and young people enjoy, tailored to their interests. They can take part in therapeutic nurture groups, outdoor pursuits, arty workshops, skills-building activities and loads more.
Fostering Kinship Support - provides wraparound support which is nurturing, flexible and needs-lead for children and young people in kinship foster care, their carers and the whole family unit. The voices of children and young people inform what we do, through representation on the steering group and input to evaluations. With everything from cooking, games, watersports, outdoor pursuits, wellbeing workshops, art and more, children and young people thoroughly enjoy all that this project offers.
Fostering Attainment and Achievement (FAA)- supports children and young people in foster care to achieve their goals. We know the importance of emotional wellbeing to support learning and we have listened to children and young people in terms of what they want and need. As such, we have a varied programme of direct provision (things like providing tuition, laptops and activities like dance and sports), training for foster carers and the team around them, children and young peoples awards, careers tasters, a residential to experience university life and a brilliant summer programme full of fun.