Foster Wales Bridgend foster carers are encouraging others to consider fostering a child and creating lasting connections in Bridgend County Borough.
Foster Care Fortnight, the biggest fostering awareness campaign of the year, takes place between 12 to 25 May 2025, with this year’s theme celebrating the power of relationships.
Whether it’s the bond between a carer and a child, the relationship created with supportive social workers, or the friendships built with other foster carers within a community, strong relationships are the golden thread that run through all fostering stories.
In Wales, there are more than 7,000 children in care, but only 3,800 foster families. Foster Wales is aiming to recruit an additional 800 carers by 2026.
Amy and Rhys shared their story of the relationships they’ve formed as a result of fostering through Foster Wales Bridgend.
“We started fostering last year so we’re relatively new to the fostering community in Bridgend, but we’ve made some amazing connections already. We have had loads of support from the pioneer foster carers (carers who undertake additional training to support other foster carers and the fostering service) since we started this journey.
“We attend coffee support groups, and we’ve found the best advice is from those who have already experienced what we’re going through. Learning from others, hearing their experiences, just listening to how they’ve navigated certain situations is so helpful to us as newer foster carers. It makes what we’re doing worthwhile, they are always there for us when needed.
“Our children are as much a part of this fostering journey as we are, and they’ve taken to it with all their hearts. The relationship they’ve built with the little one in our care is amazing and it’s helped us to know that we made the right decision to foster.
“Our process into fostering was amazing too, from the initial visit with Recruitment Officer, Dawn, where communication was spot on, to going through the assessment with our supervising social worker – they made it so easy. We always knew what was happening, and after being approved as foster carers, the relationship with these people has continued.
“Getting involved in coffee support groups, attending events and meeting other foster carers is the best thing to do to form lasting relationships and we cherish the connections we’ve been building.”
Foster Care Fortnight is an extremely important annual event for our communities to join forces in supporting our local foster carers, their families, and the children and young people they care for. This year the focus is on the strong and trusting relationships behind every fostering journey. These bonds can be between a foster carer and a child, the support of our social workers at Bridgend County Borough Council, the friendships built within our fostering communities, or the connections with birth families. It’s vital that we recognise and nurture these unwavering relationships, as they help form solid foundations for the futures of care experienced children and young people. I would like to celebrate and give thanks to our admirable foster carers and Foster Wales Bridgend colleagues in recognition of creating these powerful connections that help transform the lives of children and young people in our care.
Meet your local Foster Wales Bridgend team in person this Foster Care Fortnight at the following locations:
- Wednesday 14 May – Bryngarw Country Park, 4 – 6pm
- Thursday 15 May – Maesteg Town Hall, 9.30am -1.30pm
- Monday 19 May – Princess of Wales Hospital, 9.30am – 1.30pm
Alternatively, you can join Foster Wales Bridgend online on Wednesday, 21 May, from 7-8pm for a virtual information session from the comfort of your own home.
