Tusla seeking new foster carers in communities across Donegal

Donegal currently has 208 children in foster care - and a recruitment campaign is now underway to recruit more carers.

Tusla, the Child and Family Agency recently launched its fostering awareness and recruitment campaign. 

Now in its third year, the campaign focuses on the need to recruit carers for older children in communities across Ireland. 

A local placement will ensure a young person can maintain important connections with their friends, sports, school, and community, and reach their full potential.

Across Ireland 3,984 foster carers currently open their homes to 5,265 children. 

In Donegal, there are currently 208 children in foster care. Foster carers play a critical role in the child protection system and ultimately a key role in the wellbeing of young people.  

Speaking at the recent launch of Tusla National Fostering Week 2022 Kate Duggan, National Director of Services and Integration, Tusla stated: “Tusla foster carers provide a safe, secure and stable home environment for the most vulnerable in our society. Right now, there are children and young people in your community who may need a safe place to live. 

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“A local placement will ensure they can maintain connections with their friends, sports, school and community. If you have been considering fostering, we would urge you to have another think about the positive difference you would make in the life of children and young people in your community.” 

Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration, Roderic O'Gorman TD said: “We all share an ambition for children in care to thrive and to reach their potential. For most children in care, this is best achieved through foster care and the committed care these children receive from foster carers, in a family setting. Ireland can be proud of the fact that over 90% of all children in care, reside in foster care, a figure that compares favourably with our European neighbours.”

Above: Care Leaver, Shannon Joyce pictured at the launch of Tusla National Fostering Week 2022. The aim of National Fostering Week is to raise awareness of fostering and recruit new carers across Ireland. Pic: Marc O’Sullivan

And he added: “I would like to take this opportunity to again recognise and acknowledge the work of foster carers. They have made this achievement possible, through their committed care of these children. I would encourage anyone who is considering becoming a foster carer to contact Tusla on the details provided and to make that first step in improving the wellbeing and happiness of some of our most vulnerable children.”

Tusla Care Leaver, Shannon Joyce said: “I first went into relative foster care with my younger brother and sister when I was seven years old. I stayed with my family until summer 2021. My whole experience of foster care has been a rollercoaster to say the least. I've met so many people and heard so many stories throughout the years. I wouldn't change a thing! I'm so happy that I can take all the experiences I have had and all the lessons I have learned and use them to be the best role model and mentor I can be for the young people I teach. Fostering can be an amazingly positive experience for the carers, and children. If it’s something you are feeling drawn to you can learn more about it on fostering.ie” 

Catherine Bond, CEO, Irish Foster Care Association (IFCA) said: “The Irish Foster Care Association is delighted to support Tusla’s National Fostering Week. Fostering provides a loving and stable environment in which a child or young person can reach their full potential. The transition to foster care can be challenging for any child, but older children and teenagers are at a particularly important time in their development. An increase in local foster carers across Ireland will enable a young person to maintain their connections with their friends, sports, school and community, all of which provide stability in difficult times. We would encourage anyone thinking about fostering to get in touch and learn more”.

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The book was launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue

Marissa Ryan, CEO, Empowering People In Care (EPIC) added: ““Every child deserves a loving home. Research from around the world has shown that family settings are the best possible place for children to thrive and achieve their full potential. At EPIC, we see first-hand the hugely positive impact foster-carers have on the children and young people we work with. Foster-carers change lives when they offer children a place to call home.”

To find out more about becoming a foster carer, see fostering.ie, call freephone 1800 226 771 or email tusla.fostering@tusla.ie. 

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Are you interested in fostering?

Older children and teenagers enter care at an important time in their development. A local placement will ensure they can maintain their connections with their friends, sports, school and community.

There are so many rewards to fostering an older child, but here are just some of the reasons to consider:

Fostering older children may be the perfect fit at this stage of your life

You may be at a point in your life where you feel you have something to offer to a child who needs a safe and secure home. An older child can be more independent, can communicate more clearly, and a child who is in school may offer you more flexibility in terms of your work. 

Older children are often at an exciting time of development

The preteen and teenage years can be daunting for a child, but they are also a really exciting time when children start on their journey towards adulthood. We all needed that solid and stable person to guide us through those big life changes. You can help children negotiate those new beginnings such as secondary school, getting a part-time job and applying to college. 

You will get to watch a young person blossom in a safe and secure environment

By opening your home to foster care you will be providing an environment in which a child or young person may feel safe to open-up. A safe and secure home can help them reach their full potential.

Older children need love and care just like younger children

Older children are often aware of what hasn’t been right in their homes or lives and they can struggle with trying to make sense of what is happening. Being able to be there for an older child; to listen to their feelings and offer them a place to feel safe and secure is something so special. 

About Tusla fostering services

Tusla is Ireland’s statutory provider of fostering services to children. Tusla fostering teams across the country recruit, assess, train and support foster carers. Tusla recruits general foster carers who are not related to the children they foster, and relative carers who care for a child of an extended family member. Tusla also contract fostering services to private fostering companies when the agency does not have capacity to place a child in need at a given time with Tusla carers. 

Across Ireland 3,984 foster carers currently open their homes to 5,265 children.  In 2021, 556 children entered foster care for the first time.

About IFCA

The Irish Foster Care Association is the national organisation that supports foster families and the wider fostering community.  It advances and promotes best practice in foster care through support, learning and advocacy.  IFCA’s vision is a society where the importance of fostering is recognised, valued and supported -where every child can grow up in a safe and caring family. 

About EPIC

EPIC is the national voluntary organisation working with and for children and young adults who are currently in care or who have experience of being in care.