Fostering can mean everything to those involved – that is the message of Cumbria Fostering’s emotive new short film, created in collaboration with over 100 councils.
Everything will be launched on Thursday and is the seventh film produced by a growing partnership of councils and children’s trusts to promote local authority fostering.
The Everything project is the largest collaboration yet, with participants from Cumbria to Devon and Lancashire to Essex.
With more than 725 children in care, Cumbria Fostering urgently needs more local people to come forward as foster carers to prevent vulnerable children being placed with families away from their local area or separated from siblings.
There are currently 275 foster carers across the county.
Director of children’s services at Cumberland Council, Martin Birch, said: “The Everything project has given our fostering service an amazing film that shows the long-term impact fostering can have, with relationships between carers and children lasting well into adulthood.
“All councils need to recruit more foster carers, and by collaborating to produce this emotionally powerful film, we will show people how rewarding and life-changing fostering is.”
Director of children’s services at Westmorland and Furness Council, Mil Vasic, added: “The message is the same for all of the councils involved in making this film – we need more people to step forward and become foster carers. ‘Everything’ will help us to reach more people in our communities and encourage them to find out more about this really rewarding role.
“We are committed to giving vulnerable children and young people we care for the best chance to thrive, which for the vast majority of them is with local fostering families.”
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. A surprise 60th birthday party for Mike gives Will and Zara a chance to reflect on how being fostered made a difference to their lives, thanking him for everything.
Thanks to footage shot on a genuine old camcorder, we are taken to the 1990s, to see how Will settles into the family. We also jump back to the 2010s, when a young Zara is being taught to play the guitar by Mike, something that comes full circle when she performs a song at the party. Mike’s son Chris is involved throughout, showing the important role the children of foster carers play.
The concluding message of the film is that what you do with your life could forever change someone else’s – encouraging people to foster in order to make that change.
The film was developed with the input and insight of foster carers and people with care experience.
The national launch of Everything will be held at the Everyman cinema in Birmingham on Thursday.
In order to foster, you must have at least one spare room and the time and commitment to support and nurture a child. In return there is an excellent package of training support and allowances for each child fostered.
Find out more
To find out more about fostering, events are being held so people can speak to the team and carers.
On October 26, Cumbria Fostering will have an information stand at Penrith’s Winter Droving in the town centre from 11am to 3pm.
The following events will also be held:
- Wednesday November 6 – Virtual information session on Zoom between 6.30pm and 7.30pm. To reserve your place email claire.crisp@cumberland.gov.uk before noon on Monday November 4.
- Friday November 8 – Fostering information drop in at Whitehaven’s Family Hub, The Old Bank, Swingpump Lane, from noon to 1pm.
Or call the regional enquiries hub, Foster With Us on 0300 019 0200 or visit cumbriafostering.org.uk to register your interest.
