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Foster Care Fortnight has been launched at Stormont, with an event celebrating foster carers from the Southern Trust area as well as the other trusts in NI.
The event co-launched by HSC NI Foster Care and The Fostering Network was attended by foster carers, care experienced young people, staff and supporters from across the north.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt paid tribute to the work of foster carers throughout Northern Ireland. "Fostering is not abstract or theoretical, it happens every day, in real homes, with real families, supporting real children. Foster carers step in at moments of significant need and provide safety, stability and care when it matters most." he said.
He added: "I want to thank foster carers across Northern Ireland for the commitment, resilience and compassion they bring to this role, often in very challenging circumstances. The impact of what you do for children and young people is profound."
Robbie Butler MLA, who sponsored the event, also spoke at the occasion and shared his own personal experiences of being a foster carer.
Young people with lived experience of foster care were given a platform to speak, as were a birth child of foster carers and a panel of foster carers themselves. Guests also enjoyed performances from young people on the day, including a piano recital, a tin whistle performance and a set from a young DJ.
Kerrylee Weatherall, Director of Children's Services in Belfast, represented HSC NI Foster Care at the event. She said: "We value each and every one of our foster carers and kinship foster carers who continue to go above and beyond to provide safety, stability and love that all our children and young people deserve."
Ms Weatherall spoke about this year's Foster Care Fortnight theme, 'This is Fostering', saying it was an opportunity to highlight the everyday realities of fostering. She said: "fostering is not just about big milestones or headlines. It is about the quiet, consistent acts of care, early mornings, school runs, difficult conversations, shared laughter, and unwavering presence. It is about being there every single day."
She also acknowledged the pressures facing foster carers, noting "the realities of rising costs, increasing complexity of need, and at times feeling unheard or under-recognised," while recognising that foster carers continue to provide care despite those challenges.
Ms Weatherall closed by encouraging more people to consider fostering: "let us use the days ahead to continue shining that light to tell the stories that celebrate our foster carers, and to encourage others to step forward and be part of this vital community."
Anyone interested in finding out more about fostering with HSC NI Foster Care can call 0800 0720 137 or visit adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net
