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Six sons and daughters of foster carers have been awarded The Fostering Network’s Outstanding Contribution by Sons and Daughters Award, as part of the charity’s annual Fostering Excellence Awards.

The announcement of the winners comes at the start of Sons and Daughters Month - The Fostering Network’s campaign every October to celebrate the vital role that the children of foster carers in welcoming fostered children into their families and ensuring successful fostering placements.

The winners of the award are:

Responding to a report by the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS) which challenges the suggestion that fewer than one in 15 children who have spent time in care goes on to higher education, Sara Lurie, director of The Fostering Network in Scotland, said: ‘This report is very welcome as it explores the education of care experienced young people in more detail and helps challenge some of the misperceptions and stigma surrounding these young people. 

The Fostering Network is dismayed at the recommendation from the Scottish Government’s care allowances working group that ‘the Scottish Government and COSLA should consider a Scottish Recommended Allowance’, rather than fulfilling its remit and recommending the implementation of a national minimum allowance. 

The Fostering Network is delighted that the 2018 Fostering Excellence Awards, which celebrate excellence and outstanding achievement in fostering, are once again supported by Dreams, Britain’s leading bed specialist.

We are also pleased to announce that the following organisations are supporting individual awards.

Responding to the article in Sunday’s Observer newspaper about the “cash crisis pushing child services to tipping point”, Jackie Sanders, director of communications and public affairs at The Fostering Network, said: ‘It comes as absolutely no surprise that the local government association in England and others are calling for urgent investment into the children’s social care system.

Responding to the publication of Falling Through the Cracks by Kezia Dugdale MSP, Sara Lurie, director of The Fostering Network in Scotland, said, 'We welcome the findings of the Falling Through the Cracks report and commend Kezia Dugdale for maintaining a focus on looked after children in Scotland.

The Fostering Network is disapointed with Westminster Government's response to the fostering stocktake and education select committee inquiry in England, Fostering Better Outcomes.

‭The Fostering Network has launched its biennial survey of foster carers: The State of the Nation's Foster Care 2018 survey.

Responding to an announcement from some head teachers in Kent that they will no longer accept looked after children from London unless ministers take personal responsibility for their safety, The Fostering Network’s chief executive, Kevin Williams, said: ‘Moving fostered young people from their local area is a decision that should not be taken lightly and in the majority of cases it will be more beneficial for the young person to have the stability of staying near family, friends and their wider support network.

Today the Westminster Government formally announced how it will introduce the 15 extra hours of free childcare for fostered children in England from September. Responding to the announcement, Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network said: ‘We warmly welcome this announcement which comes following a campaign led by The Fostering Network and our supporters.