The powerful impact that fostering can have on carers and the young people who they are helping with a new start in life will be highlighted in a new national campaign involving us.
Fostering North Yorkshire currently has 300 active fostering households looking after children in care. However, more children are coming into care and there is a national shortage of carers across the UK.
The film, which is called “Everything” and is involving more than 100 councils, shares the message that fostering gives everything to the foster carers, their children and the children in care.
Launched at noon today (17 October), the film looks at the positive long-term impact fostering can have on those involved, showing a household’s journey over decades.
Executive member for children and families, Cllr Janet Sanderson, 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.”
The “Everything” film 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, people are transported back to the 1990s to see how Will settles into the family. There’s also a 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 to make that change.
The film, produced by Reel TwentyFive, was developed with the input and insight of foster carers and people with care experience.
Assistant director for children and families, Mel Hutchinson, added: “Fostering is a beautiful thing and a wonderful way to make a positive and lasting impact on the life of a child or young person.
“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.”