Black Country councils create new fostering hub
Getty ImagesA new regional fostering hub is set to "transform" how foster parents are recruited, supported and retained in the Black Country.
Four councils - Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley and Sandwell - are all behind the hub, which will offer people a single point of contact.
It hopes to make it easier for people to find out about becoming a foster parent, as well as helping them access training, advice and support throughout their journey.
"There is an ongoing need for more foster parents across Wolverhampton and the Black Country to provide safe, stable and nurturing homes for children and young people," said councillor Jacqui Coogan from City of Wolverhampton Council.
"Every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a caring environment where they feel supported, valued and able to thrive."
The hub's inception comes after the government confirmed in February that more young people were ending up in children's homes rather than being placed with foster families because of a "critical shortage" of carers.
Coogan said: "The new hub is an exciting opportunity for us to work with colleagues in Walsall, Dudley and Sandwell to raise awareness of fostering, reach new audiences and make it easier for people to find out what fostering involves and the support available to them.
She said fostering was one of the "most rewarding things a person can do".
"By attracting and supporting more foster parents across the region, we can help more local children remain close to their families, friends, schools and communities wherever possible," she added.
The Fostering Network charity said the lack of carers adds to pressure on the children's care system being overstretched, which has led to more foster carers leaving than joining.
The government announced plans to create up to 10,000 new foster care places, changing rules to accommodate different types of families.
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