Wokingham

As Foster Care Fortnight gets under way this week (May 14 to 28), Wokingham Borough Council is getting ready to launch its own recruitment campaign to find more local foster homes for its looked-after children.

And to mark the launch, Wokingham council will be making a special presentation to one of its longest serving foster carers. Jean King of Wokingham had been a foster carer for 33 years until she retired in December 2006. She had extensive experience of looking after a range of children, with a variety of needs, on a long and short-term basis as well as in cases of emergencies. Over the years she has cared for some 84 children ranging from babies to teenagers.

Jean was a foster parent with her late husband Roger, and both of them made a substantial contribution to the local foster care association and had acted as mentors to less experienced foster carers. Maeve Coupe, fostering team manager, said: “The contribution that Jean and her late husband made to local youngsters has been truly amazing. They have both given so much over the years and have played a key role in their foster children’s future. They have made a real difference to those children’s lives and have provided a safe family environment for the children to live in. I am delighted we are able to make a special presentation to Jean, and I hope that many people will be inspired by her to become foster carers themselves.”

Wokingham borough council is using the annual recruitment campaign to appeal for more foster carers to come forward and is launching the fortnight with a celebration lunch on Wednesday May 16. The lunch will provide an opportunity for current foster carers to meet each other and to celebrate the valuable contribution they make to the lives of looked-after children.

Cllr Frank Browne, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “As there is a shortage of foster carers in the borough, the council is always looking for more local people to come forward to become foster carers.

Wokingham Borough Council