On Wednesday 16 October we'll be unveiling our fostering washing line display in Barnsley Market.

Designed to spark important conversations around the need for foster carers, the display will feature around 400 socks to represent all the children and young people in care across the borough.

Our team, Fostering Barnsley, will be holding an event to launch the display on 16 October, from 10.30am to 3.30pm at Barnsley Market, where the washing line will be on display for three weeks.

As well as the unveiling of the display, our fostering team will be holding a stall to chat to anyone who’d like to learn more about fostering. There’ll also be other support services on hand too, providing information around kinship carers, education welfare, therapeutic services, and more.

We’re proud to support children and young people in care in our community, and all our children and young people across Barnsley deserve a loving home full of care and support. Thanks to our foster carers’ help we see children and young people bloom and flourish, and we’re hoping the display inspires more people to consider fostering.

This comes after the success and impact of a similar project earlier this year, where the display of 132 T-shirts highlighted the number of domestic abuse cases reported weekly in Barnsley, encouraging discussion and raising awareness of the profound effects of abuse and violence.

Cllr Trevor Cave, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services, said: “Foster carers are invaluable, and the more people who decide to become foster carers, the more stable and loving homes we can create for children and young people in care.

“We’ve got a fantastic community of over 130 fostering families in Barnsley, but with around 400 children and young people in care we’re always on the lookout for more people who can give a safe and loving home to a child when they need it most. We’re hoping our display in the Market starts conversations around the need for fostering, and encourages more people to consider becoming a foster carer and joining our fostering community.”

For more information about fostering or becoming a foster carer, visit fosteringbarnsley.co.uk.