MORE than 80 foster carers and supported lodgings providers who look after children and young people in Bath & North East Somerset have been celebrated at a special event to recognise their dedication.

The celebration evening at the Guildhall in Bath on October 17 was held by B&NES Council and attended by carers who foster with the council and help keep children in their local communities.

The event also saw the launch of a new fostering film to encourage more people to foster with their local authority and transform a child’s life.

‘Everything’ follows foster carer Mike and his family on a journey through time with two of the children they have looked after who are now adults. The film is a collaboration between B&NES Council and more than 100 other local authorities and children’s trusts.

The council currently has 49 households who foster in B&NES, alongside 13 kinship foster care families in which children who cannot be cared for by their parent live with a relative or friend.

Ten households in B&NES provide care under the council’s fostering families scheme which helps families in need of long-term support to keep children at home. A further ten supported lodgings households support young people aged between 16 and 25 who have left home, but do not feel ready to live independently.

The B&NES Council Fostering Families Scheme is a program designed to recruit and support foster families in B&NES. The scheme aims to provide safe and nurturing homes for children and young people who are unable to live with their birth families due to various circumstances.

Councillor Karen Walker, chair of B&NES Council, said: “Our foster care and supported lodgings households do incredible work to support young people and make a difference to their lives every day. It was an honour to meet some of our carers and celebrate the work they do to help children and young adults achieve success.

“Fostering with your local council helps keep children in the area they were born in and maintain those vital connections to their communities. We are proud of our amazing foster carers and the support and love they provide. I’d encourage anyone thinking about joining our wonderful fostering community to get in touch with us.”