Our Fostering Service teams up with Barnsley Football Club for takeover day

On Saturday, our Fostering Service teamed up once again with Barnsley Football Club for their takeover day, to celebrate fostering and raise awareness of the need for more foster carers in Barnsley.

At the last match of the season, team members from our fostering service and foster carers were on hand for a chat with anyone interested in being a Barnsley carer for a Barnsley child. Barnsley foster carers, children, and young people also came along to watch the match, with tickets donated by Rapid Response telecoms Ltd.

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 takeover day inspired more people to consider fostering.

A spokesperson from Barnsley Football Club, said: “We were delighted to work with Fostering Barnsley again this season and help spread such an important message. If one person goes away and decides to foster, we will know we’ve made an impact. We'd also like to extend our thanks to Rapid Response for their generous donation of tickets.”

Cllr Trevor Cave Cabinet spokesperson for Children’s Services, said: “Foster carers are invaluable, and a loving home is essential for a child’s wellbeing and development. Both in Barnsley and nationally there is a shortage of carers, and a need for people who can look after children over the age of ten, brothers and sisters who need to stay together and children with disabilities who need special care and attention.

“We’re always looking for more people who can foster a child or young person in Barnsley – being able to continue living in the same town means Barnsley’s young people in foster care can continue to go to the same school and keep seeing their friends and family members. We’d once again like to thank Barnsley Football Club for their support – it’s a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness about foster carers and inspire more people to join the fostering community. Also, a huge thank you to Rapid Response telecoms Ltd who donated their tickets to local fostering families so they could join in the fun on Saturday.”

There is no such thing as a typical foster carer - we consider people from a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances. Anyone can foster as long as they are over 21, have a spare room and the energy and enthusiasm to look after a child.

To find out more about fostering in Barnsley, visit fosteringbarnsley.co.uk.