Skip to the content

Could you foster Sheffield's future?

Fostering social media image
Fostering social media image

Fostering in Sheffield has already helped transform thousands of lives and there are still children and young people in our city who are looking for a loving home.

Fostering with Sheffield Council is a supportive community and most importantly, it is a chance to change a young person’s life for the better.

Foster Care Fortnight runs from 13 to 26 May and aims to encourage more people in Sheffield to foster Sheffield’s future.

We have been speaking with foster carers and children in foster care about the positive impact it has had on their lives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLdkH3o-JuE

Yvonne, a foster carer from Sheffield has been fostering for 29 years, feeling the urge to help after watching a TV programme called ‘Find a Family’, she said:

“I was in tears, having never realised that so many children were without a loving home and a family - I knew I could provide that and called Sheffield City Council immediately.

“We have a lot of love to give, and we wanted to help as many children as we could to feel safe, loved and wanted.

“The desire is still as strong for us now as it was when we first started. We have a very large extended family that enjoy spending time with and feel honoured to have been able to make a difference to so many children and young people.

“The love we have for each and every child we have cared for grows stronger and we are so proud of them all.”

Throughout the week we will be sharing different stories from foster carers and children in foster care, here on Sheffield newsroom.

Lucy* was 10 when she first went into foster care and was very apprehensive about her future, but her foster carer Lynn helped her greatly, Lucy said:

“I had moved around a lot before I met Lynn, and because of this I was always scared that my mum would come and take me away. Through Lynn’s care, I have now realised that will never happen.

“Lynn loves me and I love Lynn and her family. We go on holiday together, we go swimming and we love to bake together.

“In my four years of living with Lynn, my confidence has grown. I am so happy where I am and I love Lynn like a mum.”

Councillor Jackie Drayton, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families at Sheffield City Council said:

“Listening to these stories of our foster carers and the wonderful work they are doing to make sure the children and young people who come into care are loved and achieve their full potential is so heart-warming, I can’t praise them enough.

“What wonderful people and what a difference they are making, changing the lives for so many children and young people across Sheffield.

“This could be you because when you foster with Sheffield City Council, unlike agencies who take a percentage, all the money goes to the children.

“To all the foster carers that devote their time to caring for so many of our brilliant children and young people, I say a big thank you, you are all remarkable and you really are changing lives.

“To all of those who might be inspired to make a difference, we need more wonderful people like you! If you think you could foster, or adopt please get in touch, Sheffield City Council will support you.”

Foster carer Katie said:

"We decided to foster because our birth children were getting older and we felt we have the time and energy to offer a  home to a child who needed one.

"Fostering has enriched our lives as all the children we have cared for have brought fun and laughter with them.

"It is very rewarding to teach a child new things and support them as they make progress both socially and academically.

"I think we have learnt that every child is different and every situation a child comes from is different so you need to adapt and work with the individual child.

"We have had a lot of training and support from Sheffield Fostering services in the 2 and a half years since we started the fostering assessment process."

If you have ever considered fostering a child in Sheffield, we would love to hear from you.

Brooke has been in foster care since she was 10. She is now happily living in Sheffield with her foster mum.
She said:


"When I first came into foster care I was scared, butmy foster mum has helped me with my confidence.
"I was ten when I first came into foster care. I have moved around a lot and I was always scared that my mum would come and take me away. I have now realised that that will never happen.
"I am happy with and I am loved and I love my foster mum and her family. I still go to holiday care and I love it. I go camping and stuff like that. I still have contact with my grandparents and my brother which I love.
"We go on holiday together, we go swimming, we bake and cook together.
"I have lived with my foster mum for four years and in those four years my confidence has grown and I am very happy where I am and I love her like a mum."

Tel: 0114 273 5075

E:fostering@sheffield.gov.uk

www.sheffield.gov.uk/home/social-care/fostering