Barnardo's makes urgent call for Manchester foster carers

Barnardo’s is urgently calling for more people in Manchester to consider becoming foster carers, after the number of children referred to the charity’s fostering services across the UK jumped by more than a quarter in 12 months.

The UK’s leading children’s charity warns of a growing shortage of foster carers, leaving vulnerable children without safe, stable and loving support.

Figures released by Barnardo’s show that between August 2021 and July 2022, the number of children referred to Barnardo’s UK-wide fostering services was 19,996. This is a rise of 28%, compared with the previous 12-month period, when the figure was 15,642.

Actor Lennie James endorses the campaign by sharing his own experience of being in care as an older child and encouraging more people to consider fostering.

The urgent need for new foster carers comes at a time when Barnardo’s has seen a decline in the number of foster carers on its books. With the average age of a Barnardo’s foster carer aged 55 and older, the charity says the advancing age of many of its foster carers means an increasing number are now retiring.

60-year-old Soynnia currently fosters a 14-year-old boy called James*.

She said: “It sounds like a cliché but I wanted to make a difference. When a child goes into care they have experienced some sort of trauma. I wanted to be able to fill in the missing gaps for them and make sure they feel loved, properly cared for and safe.”

As her first placement, Soynnia welcomed a nine-year-old needing a short break placement into her home. She then fostered an older teenager before her current placement, 14-year-old James, who has lived with her for just over a year.

“James has a really bubbly personality, he’s very curious and likes fun