Why Community Makes All the Difference in Fostering

At Fostering Rotherham, community is at the heart of everything we do.

For us, community isn’t an optional extra,  it’s one of the most important things that makes fostering work. We’re privileged to support a network of foster carers, children, and young people who inspire us every day. That’s why we invest time, energy, budget, and heart into helping our fostering families feel connected and supported.

Over the summer, we’ve seen that spirit shine. From local events bringing carers together to peer support networks growing stronger than ever, our fostering family has been busy making memories, sharing experiences, and connecting with each other.

Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve been up to, and how our community continues to make a difference every single day.

Foster Carer Olympics

The Foster Carer Olympics at Thrybergh Country Park was a fantastic day out for our fostering families. We had children of all ages join us, from tiny babies to teenagers, and it was great to see our foster carers joining in with all the activities.

The colour run brought so many smiles as children had the opportunity to experience powder-paint throwing for the first time. We were also joined by a fostering pet, Sully the tortoise!

Walking Group and Baby Group

Sometimes, support looks like an organised event. Other times, it looks like a gentle walk in the woods or a chat over coffee while little ones play.

Our Walking Group and Baby Group continue to offer foster carers a chance to connect in ways that are relaxed, low-pressure and meaningful. These spaces are where friendships form.

Open Water Dipping

Some of our children and young people in care have had the opportunity to attend some open water dipping sessions at Wath Lake. These sessions are a great way to build on their swimming skills with qualified instructors and with the help of our fostering team too.

A reminder to everyone: open water can be dangerous without the right supervision and support. Please avoid jumping into lakes, rivers or reservoirs - especially in warm weather - and always make sure you're swimming in a safe, supervised setting.

Rotherham Show

This year’s Rotherham Show brought so many people together, and we were proud to be part of it again. Our team spoke with lots of people about fostering.

Whether it was someone thinking about fostering for the first time, or one of our foster carers dropping by to say hello, the conversations we had reminded us that fostering is a vital part of our community. Events like this are how we break down myths and open the door to more people who could make a difference.

Info Stands Across Rotherham

Throughout the year, we visit spots like Wentworth Garden Centre, Rother Valley Country Park, Rotherham Hospital and Wentworth Woodhouse to chat with people in the community.

You never know who will walk past, wondering if they could foster. 

Our community of more than 100 families all play a huge role in supporting each other with understanding and kindness. These events are just a small part of what we, and our fostering families, do to make Fostering Rotherham the welcoming, engaging community that we are proud to be part of.

If you’d like to talk to us, you can book a call with our team, or keep an eye out for where we will be in the community next for an in-person chat.