A CONCERNED councillor has called for an update on all efforts to recruit more foster carers in the region.
Pauline Drysdale, who represents Castle Douglas, this week insisted that there is a “desperate need” for more foster carers in the Stewartry.
Mrs Drysdale, above, who is also the council’s social work committee chairwoman, raised the important issue once again at Stewartry area committee on Wednesday.
She said: “I’d like to acknowledge the concerted effort the foster care team, and the social work department, have been undertaking.
“There is a desperate need for more foster care families in the Stewartry. Currently in Dumfries and Galloway we have 64 fostering families, but we desperately need more.
“And 25 families are currently in external agencies. That’s to keep families together but the groups in Dumfries and Galloway and the social work department are trying really, really hard to recruit more fostering families.”
Sarah McGarva, a family services manager in the council’s social work department, gave more detail about the foster carers in this area, saying: “If children can’t be at home, we use kinship placements with family and friends.
“But we do at times need good foster placements, and we are really struggling. It has meant some children have to be further away from their home than we’d want them to be.”
Dumfries and Galloway Council is staging Foster Care Fortnight from May 15-28, and the event will celebrate all the fostering community does in helping children and young people to thrive in a supportive environment.
The council’s fostering and adoption team are hoping that drop-in sessions being held over will encourage more people to sign up as foster carers in the region.
The 4pm to 6pm sessions will be held at DG1 on May 23, Castle Douglas Community Centre on May 24 and Hub 75 in Stranraer on May 25.
Staff and carers will be on hand to advise on what support is provided by the team, what being a foster carer involves, and what the benefits of being a carer are.
