Foster carers who have changed the lives of children and young people in Moray are being thanked for their amazing commitment and dedication.
The many individuals who make up Morayโs family of foster carers have been celebrated by Health & Social Care Moray during Foster Care Fortnight. The annual event aims to raise awareness of foster care, recognise current foster carers, and encourage people to consider starting the journey to become a foster carer.
This yearโs theme is Fostering Moments and over the past two weeks, the Placement Service Team at Moray Council has been highlighting the positive impact fostering makes on the lives of local children. Foster carers and care experienced young people have been encouraged to share the moments, big and small, which have defined their fostering journeys and created lasting memories.
At a celebration and recognition event held in Elgin today (22 May), 10 year long-service awards were presented to Laura Higgins who lives in Portgordon and Angie Kemp who is from Elgin.
Laura began her fostering journey almost 30 years ago with her late husband, Ross, when they lived in the Highland Council area. The mum-of-two has fostered over 60 children and went on to adopt two brothers who were placed with the family.
โI read an appeal for foster carers in the local paper and we talked it over. We thought that if we werenโt meant to have another child of our own then maybe this was for us. It is challenging โ there is no perfect child and no perfect foster carer but itโs such a worthwhile thing to do,โ Laura said.
Angie and her husband, Des, were approved as foster carers in 2014, a decision supported by their three grown up children, and since then they have given a home to eight youngsters.
โFostering is a vocation which can give your life more meaning. You learn as much from the child as they learn from you. To anyone thinking about fostering I would say โgo for it!โ You will be doing good and itโs lovely to see the kids flourish,โ Angie said.
Tracy Colyer, Chair of the Moray Integration Joint Board which oversees the work of the health and social care partnership, said: โI would like to thank all our foster carers who are supporting the children in their care. We know that their love and dedication transforms young lives.
โNew foster carers are needed every year to care for children in Moray. I am certain there are local residents out there who could give our children and young people the love and support they need, helping them to remain in their own schools and communities and to maintain links with their families and friends. I hope they will be encouraged to consider taking on this important and rewarding role.โ
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To find out more about becoming a foster carer in Moray, visit www.moray.gov.uk/fostering or email DutyPlacementServices@moray.gov.uk.
