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Foster Care Fortnight, the biggest fostering awareness campaign of the year, takes place between May 12 and May 25 this year, with this year’s theme celebrating the power of relationships.

Whether it’s the bond between a carer and a child, the relationship created with supportive social workers, or the friendships built with other foster carers in a community, strong relationships are the golden thread that run through all fostering stories.

In Wales, there are more than 7,000 children in care, but only 3,800 foster families. Foster Wales is aiming to recruit an additional 800 carers by 2026.

Rebecca shared her story of the lasting relationships she has formed as a result of fostering through Foster Wales Neath Port Talbot.

Rebecca, who has been a foster carer for nearly nine years, said: “It’s really important to have a relationship with everyone that you work with, from the social workers to the IROs (Independent Reviewing Officers), to the schools, to anybody that’s involved with your children really. The birth parents, siblings, everybody.  If everybody works together it does make life a lot easier.

“Our Supervising Social Worker is Gerald, and I always make a joke of saying that he’s part of the furniture in our house. Gerald’s always there at the end of the phone for us, or an email or he’ll call in if there’s an issue, but he’s very supportive. We can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for our family and we love working with him.

 “When we started fostering nearly nine years ago, we took in an emergency placement which was a sibling group of two girls, 4 and 5 years old. It was really important to keep them together with what they’ve been through in their short lives, and they definitely had a bond, as the older sister looked after the younger sister in so many ways.”

Rebecca added: “It’s very important to have a relationship with fellow foster carers. They also have questions they need answering, so sometimes when you meet up with other foster carers, they can give you the answers that you need as well.”

Councillor Sian Harris, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Children & Families, said: “Fostering is an incredibly rewarding experience that can transform the lives of children and foster families. During Foster Care Fortnight, we want to highlight the importance of the strong relationships that foster carers build with children, social workers, and the community.

“I’d encourage anyone thinking about fostering to contact the team and find out what’s involved.”

To find out more about becoming a foster carer in Neath Port Talbot, visit https://npt.fosterwales.gov.wales/