A FOSTERING agency is calling for more LGBT people in Solihull to consider becoming foster carers.
Foster Care Associates (FCA) is urging lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) single people and couples in the borough to think about fostering.
The call, which comes ahead of LGBT Adoption and Fostering awareness week (March 7 to 13), hopes to reinforce the positive contribution LGBT foster carers make to helping children and young people.
FCA has built a reputation for championing and supporting LGBT foster carers, and was one of the first independent fostering agencies to offer LGBT diversity training to all their carers and staff.
It has also been recognised in the Stonewall Top 100 employer’s listings as one of the UK’s most gay friendly organisations for six years running.
Frank Ward, LGBT diversity champion at FCA, said: “We have amazing foster carers, and from the outset FCA only recruit people from across the community who are open to diversity and inclusion.
“We’re committed to developing a cohort of supportive carers, both for each other and the children and young people they look after.
“Our underlying message is that fostering is open to everyone, and it’s up to FCA to provide a safe and welcoming community to support and develop our carers.”
Currently only five percent of FCA’s 2,858 carers are LGBT – a percentage the agency hopes to increase through visibilty and campaigns like LGBT Adoption and Fostering awareness week.
Visit www.thefca.co.uk or call 0800 022 4012 for more information on becoming a foster carer with FCA and to find out about recruitment events in the region.
