We are looking for caring people within the Belfast area who have time and space in their lives to provide a safe and stable home to children / young people who cannot live with their birth families.
Our foster carers are ordinary people who do an incredible thing by supporting children and young people when they need it most. This may be for a short or longer period of time.
We welcome enquiries from a broad range of individuals regardless of race, religion, language, culture, gender, disability, age or sexual orientation.
As a HSC foster carer you are never on your own. We are here every step of the way through the process. We will train you and provide you with fostering allowances, 24-hour social work support and much more.
A number of the children and young people who need foster care are part of a sibling group. We do our utmost to keep them together but sometimes this is not possible. When siblings can live together in a foster family, they don’t have to experience the feelings of worry about their brothers and sisters. They can be a good support for each other and be confident in building positive relationships with their foster family.
Noeline and Alistair from Belfast have been caring for three siblings for nearly eight years. “Being a childminder meant I had always been around children and really enjoyed their company and when my sister-in-law began to foster, I thought maybe we could do something to help children in need too,” says Noeline.
“We spoke to our own children about the possibility and they really encouraged us to put ourselves forward. We didn’t necessarily intend to look after children long term from the outset, but we were sure that we wanted to help keep a sibling group together. It’s just how it worked out for us, and we wouldn’t change it all these years on.
"Through their younger years they were a good support to one another. They have been there for each other through thick and thin. Fostering is a brilliant thing to do, I really enjoy them. Our house never cools!” she adds.
Call us on 0800 0720 137 or visit adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net to find out more.
Facebook @HSCAdoptionAndFosterCare Twitter @HSCAdopt_Foster
