Gateshead's fostering community celebrated at Fostering Awards
The Gateshead fostering community were recognised at a special Fostering Awards celebration on Saturday 16 May as part of Foster Care Fortnight celebrations.
The annual awards ceremony was organised by Gateshead Council to recognise the achievements of foster carers throughout the year.
Categories for awards included 'Outstanding Newcomer' and 'Unsung Hero' and nominees were chosen by Gateshead's fostering community, including fostering support officers and social workers.
The 'Superhero Children who Foster Award', recognises the incredible support that the birth children and grandchildren of carers give in welcoming foster children into their homes and helping their families care for the young people.
Everyone had a lovely afternoon at the event and enjoyed magic performances, music, dancing and a raffle with prizes kindly gifted from many local businesses and organisations.
Helen Fergusson, Director for Children's Services and Lifelong Learning, said:
"We were delighted to recognise our amazing foster carers at this special event.
"Our Fostering Awards ceremony is always an emotional event, filled with love and joy for our Gateshead's fostering community.
"Our foster carers go above and beyond daily to ensure the children and young people they care for feel safe, loved and part of a family.
"It is also an opportunity to see how they are thriving, which is a brilliant feeling for all of us at Gateshead Council."
The Fostering Awards, which took place at the Gateshead Delta Marriot Hotel, is one of several events during Foster Care Fortnight which highlights fostering families and the amazing work they do and spreads awareness of the need for more foster carers in our region.
A public event will take place at the Metrocentre on Saturday 23 May, where teams from across the Foster with the North East partnership including Gateshead Council fostering team, will come together to collectively walk 70,000 steps, symbolising the number of cared for children across the UK.
The event will be held in the area outside of Primark and it will give members of the public the opportunity to come and meet local fostering teams, ask questions and find out more about fostering in a relaxed and informal setting.
Anyone interested in fostering with Gateshead Council who would like to find out more, can register for an information event at: www.gateshead.go.uk/fosteringinformationevents or make an enquiry via the regional fostering hub, Foster with North East, by emailing [email protected] or calling 0800 917 7771.
Details of the event at the Metrocentre can be found here: www.fosterwithnortheast.org.uk/fostercarefortnight/metrocentre
The Gateshead fostering community were recognised at a special Fostering Awards celebration on Saturday 16 May as part of Foster Care Fortnight celebrations.
The annual awards ceremony was organised by Gateshead Council to recognise the achievements of foster carers throughout the year.
Categories for awards included 'Outstanding Newcomer' and 'Unsung Hero' and nominees were chosen by Gateshead's fostering community, including fostering support officers and social workers.
The 'Superhero Children who Foster Award', recognises the incredible support that the birth children and grandchildren of carers give in welcoming foster children into their homes and helping their families care for the young people.
Everyone had a lovely afternoon at the event and enjoyed magic performances, music, dancing and a raffle with prizes kindly gifted from many local businesses and organisations.
Helen Fergusson, Director for Children's Services and Lifelong Learning, said:
"We were delighted to recognise our amazing foster carers at this special event.
"Our Fostering Awards ceremony is always an emotional event, filled with love and joy for our Gateshead's fostering community.
"Our foster carers go above and beyond daily to ensure the children and young people they care for feel safe, loved and part of a family.
"It is also an opportunity to see how they are thriving, which is a brilliant feeling for all of us at Gateshead Council."
The Fostering Awards, which took place at the Gateshead Delta Marriot Hotel, is one of several events during Foster Care Fortnight which highlights fostering families and the amazing work they do and spreads awareness of the need for more foster carers in our region.
A public event will take place at the Metrocentre on Saturday 23 May, where teams from across the Foster with the North East partnership including Gateshead Council fostering team, will come together to collectively walk 70,000 steps, symbolising the number of cared for children across the UK.
The event will be held in the area outside of Primark and it will give members of the public the opportunity to come and meet local fostering teams, ask questions and find out more about fostering in a relaxed and informal setting.
Anyone interested in fostering with Gateshead Council who would like to find out more, can register for an information event at: www.gateshead.go.uk/fosteringinformationevents or make an enquiry via the regional fostering hub, Foster with North East, by emailing [email protected] or calling 0800 917 7771.
Details of the event at the Metrocentre can be found here: www.fosterwithnortheast.org.uk/fostercarefortnight/metrocentre
