Amy Davidson, a young champion with The Fostering Network, reflects on her experience of speaking at the recent Stand Up For Sibling conference…
“Being asked to speak about my experiences in the care system has given me a platform to make change. Most importantly the opportunity I was given to speak at the Stand Up for Siblings conference. It gave me the chance to talk about the importance of sibling relationships and how my own relationship with my brother has remained vastly important throughout our care journey.
“Listening to others talk about their own personal experience and how the separation from their siblings has lead to devastation and a relationship which isn’t allowed to flourish due to system restrictions.
“It was a very inspirational and monumental day as change has to happen and with this movement great things will happen as we stand with a large group of people and don’t have to fight battles on our own anymore. People will listen and change will be made.
“Thank you for the opportunity to talk at the event it was both inspirational and educational.”
Foster Care Fortnight™ gets underway today, Monday 14 May. It is the UK’s biggest foster care awareness raising campaign, delivered by leading fostering charity, The Fostering Network.
Thousands of new foster families are needed every year to care for a range of children, with the greatest need being for foster carers for older children, sibling groups and disabled children. This year, we want to raise the very real need for more foster carers for sibling groups and for fostering services to do everything possible to ensure brothers and sisters are not separated if they need to be cared for away from their own birth families.
Foster Care Fortnight 2018 will take place from 14 to 27 May.