Derry couple honoured for work as foster carers at NI Foster Care Awards

Seamus and Tina Shivers from Co. Derry were among the foster carers across Northern Ireland who were honoured over the weekend for the Northern Ireland Foster Care Awards, a ceremony co-hosted by HSC NI Foster Care and The Fostering Network.

The Derry couple received a Certificate of Excellence for their work as foster carers.

Now in its eighteenth year, the Awards recognise the critical role foster carers have in providing stability, love and care for children and young people who are unable to live with their birth families.

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A number of HSC NI foster carers and kinship foster carers received special recognition for their outstanding contribution to fostering.

Kerrylee Weatherall, Interim Director of Children’s Community Services who represented HSC NI Foster Care at the event said: “The Foster Care Awards gives us an opportunity to celebrate our fostering community in Northern Ireland and recognise the contribution that foster carers make to the lives of our children and young people.

By providing safe and nurturing home environments, foster carers are helping to transform lives; giving children and young people a chance to build their confidence, develop their talents and be ambitious for their future.

We hope this event goes some way to showing foster carers how much we value them, and appreciate the kindness and support they show children and young people every single day.”

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Director of The Fostering Network Northern Ireland, Kathleen Toner, said: “It is a true honour to be able to recognise these incredible foster carers and kinship carers in this way. Every winner has gone above and beyond for the children and young people in their care, and I hope they are really proud of themselves.

“Being foster carers and kinship carers isn’t always easy, it’s a 24-hour job, so I would like to say thank you to the winners, and all foster and kinship carers, for their hard work and dedication. You are an integral part of our fostering communities and we are so grateful for the work you do.”

On March 31 2023, there were 3,801 children in care in Northern Ireland. 83% of these children live in foster care (3,155), which is made of kinship and non-kinship foster care.

Kinship foster care is when a relative or family friend known to the child or young person fosters them. 

With an increase in the number of children and young people coming into care, the need for foster carers is greater than ever.

According to The Fostering Network, at least 300 more fostering families are needed across Northern Ireland to make sure children and young people get the care they need from foster carers within their own community.

HSC NI Foster Care are looking for a wide range of foster carers to reflect the diversity of children and young people who need safe and nurturing homes.

HSC NI Foster Care’s community is made up of a diverse group of people including couples, single foster carers, parent and an adult child who foster together, foster carers from minority ethnic communities, and foster carers from the LGBTQIA+ community.

HSC NI Foster Care welcome enquiries to foster from people from all backgrounds regardless of marital, employment or home ownership status, or whether they are a parent or not.

Applications are considered from people irrespective of race, religion, language, culture, gender, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Foster carers receive training and development opportunities, ongoing support as well as financial allowances.