Torbay is marking Foster Care Fortnight (12-25 May) with local events, new initiatives to support Foster Carers including free access to a Beach Hut and other support, and will also be congratulating a number of local Foster Carers who have more than 25 years’ experience of fostering.

The theme of this year’s Foster Care Fortnight – led by national charity The Fostering Network – is The Power of Relationships - because at the heart of every fostering journey are the connections that make all the difference.

Strong, trusting relationships are the golden thread that runs through every fostering story. Whether it’s the bond between a foster carer and a child, the support of social workers, the friendships built within fostering communities, or the connections with birth families, these relationships shape lives, create stability, and open up new possibilities for the future.  

Events coming up where you will be able to speak to the Fostering team include Devon County Show, Exeter Pride and English Riviera Airshow, and then local Foster Carers will get long service recognition awards at an upcoming Chidren’s Services staff event. Torbay Council also recently added a dedicated beach hut to the growing range of support we are able to provide local Foster Carers, with other initiatives the Council provides including a Christmas party, summer barbecue and a regular Foster Carers Forum, as well as Torbay’s new Mockingbird support scheme for Foster Carers which was launched earlier this year.

Support provided to Torbay’s Foster Carers from local corporate partners includes the annual Train of Lights provided by Dartmouth Steam Railway, home game tickets provided by Torquay United Football Club, and annual passes from Paignton Zoo, free entry to Splashdown QuayWest in Paignton and The Big Wheel in Torquay – plus lots more. Fostering South West, the regional organisation which promotes fostering is also announcing a new campaign with Pure Gym to support Fostering. Pure Gym members are encouraged to collectively walk or run as many steps as possible, aiming to exceed a symbolic target of 45,000 steps. This number represents the average distance children in foster care move away from their homes.

Throughout Foster Care Fortnight Torbay Council will also be sharing videos and other posts through social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, NextDoor and LinkedIn and you can join the hashtag #FCF25 and #FCF25Torbay

Councillor Nick Bye, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “Here in Torbay we are committed to supporting our local Foster Carers as much as possible. We are delighted to once again support Foster Care Fortnight which puts the spotlight on the vital role our local Foster Carers play in supporting children in our community.

“We are also very pleased to be able to announce that Foster Carers will now have access to a beach hut, adding to the wide range of other resources and activities that local Foster Carers can use in Torbay. We also provide our Foster Carers with extensive support and training, a dedicated social worker, mentoring from an experienced Foster Carer and access to local Foster Carers Forum, as well as special events throughout the year.

“And of course we launched our first Mockingbird pilot scheme earlier this year in Brixham to support Foster Carers and we hope to have these up and running in other parts of Torbay in the near future as well.”

Mockingbird is a global award winning and pioneering programme which delivers sustainable foster care. It is an evidence-based model. It is structured around the support and relationships an extended family provides. 

It involves 6-10 foster carers becoming part of a group with other foster carers who are part of a wider constellation of satellite foster homes. The satellite homes in turn get support from a central hub home. This hub provides advice and support to all the satellite homes.  

The fostering service then provides a worker to take on a liaison role for both the hub and satellite homes. The model fits with our approach of putting families at the centre of finding solutions and solving problems using restorative approaches. 

Events during Foster Care Fortnight

• Members of Torbay’s Fostering team will be at Exeter Pride on Saturday 10 May from 11am to 6pm.
• They will also be at Devon County Show at Westpoint Arena in Exeter on Thursday 15 May, Friday 16 May and Saturday 17 May from 10am to 6pm.
• Then they will be at the English Riviera Airshow at Paignton Green on Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June at Paignton Green from 10am to 5pm.

You can speak to a member of the team at one of our Fostering events or you can also contact the Fostering service on 01803 207845, email fostering@torbay.gov.uk or visit our Fostering webpages.

Change a child’s future – Foster with Torbay.