Step on board and start your journey to fostering with FCA

Foster Care Associates (FCA) will be welcoming the Lord Mayor of Plymouth into his new role on a form of transport sure to get visitors talking at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Day on Saturday (6 June).

The UK’s leading independent fostering agency is inviting people to step on board their bright pink double decker bus as part of  FCA’s ‘30K foster care challenge’.  This will involve the FCA bus touring a total of 30,000 miles across the length and breadth of the UK over the next six months, representing the 30,000 children and young people the agency has placed with foster families since it began 21 years ago.

With an additional 30,000 children and young people entering the UK care system each year FCA needs to attract new carers to a profession which will not only change their life for the better, but also have a positive life-changing effect on those children and young people they look after. 

It is estimated that in the South West alone a total of 550 new foster families are needed in 2015, with 8,370 needed in total across the UK.

Sherree Cole, registered manager for FCA in the South West, said:  “There is currently a shortage of foster carers in Plymouth and across the South West, and we’re hoping that taking our big pink bus ‘on tour’ will get people talking about fostering, and potentially interested about becoming a carer themselves.  In colour psychology pink is the sign of hope, representing compassion and unconditional love as well as being associated with giving and receiving care – all qualities associated with being a foster carer.”

Fun activities for children will be available on board the bus, as well as information and advice offered to anyone who’s interested in fostering.

This year’s Lord Mayor’s Day event sponsored by Rowes Honda / Rowes Suzuki will take place in Plymouth City Centre on Saturday, 6 June between 10am and 5pm.

Further information about fostering opportunities with FCA in Plymouth and the South West can be found at www.thefca.co.uk  or call 0800 022 4012 and speak to the FCA Recruitment Team.