FOSTER carers for sibling groups, older children and children from black and ethnic minorities are urgently needed in Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire County Council needs to recruit 35 new foster carers for children from all over the county in the next year.

Maria White, county recruitment officer for fostering and adoption, said: “There is a shortage of more than 10,000 foster carers in the UK and this is reflected locally.

“We are urgently asking more people to think about the skills and qualities they have and consider doing something as rewarding as fostering.

“Fostering can be for a short period of time while we help a family get over a temporary crisis until the child can go home.

“If this is not possible, children are either adopted or placed with long term foster carers until they are old enough to live independently.

“We need short term and long term foster carers, as well as carers who can just help out for weekends.”

She said short break carers also provided support to families who with disabled children.

The council organises fostering recruitment events every month for potential fosterers to find out more.

Jenny and John Barney, from Kidlington, decided to become foster parents after their eight children grew up and left home, and their house “suddenly felt very empty”.

The couple have now been foster carers for 12 years and have cared for scores of children, from babies to 18 year olds.

Mrs Barney, 56, said: “We got into fostering when our own children started to leave home – it didn’t feel the same without kids in the house.

“I think the most important part of it is that it’s about giving vulnerable children somewhere safe to go.

“All of our children had such a happy upbringing, we wanted to share that feeling with other children.”

Ms White encouraged anyone considering fostering to attend one of the monthly fostering information evenings.

She said: “Foster carers receive a comprehensive training and support package along with financial support.

“We need a diverse range of people with different skills and qualities to come forward so that more children are placed in the right home, first time.”

The events are held every month, and all are welcome to come along to meet foster carers and the recruitment team to find out more.

See oxfordshire.gov.uk/fostering or call 0800 7837524.

awilliams@oxfordmail.co.uk