A WREXHAM foster couple are leading a campaign urging more people to provide safe homes for young people in need.

There are more than 7,000 children in the care system in Wales, but only 3,800 foster families.

Foster Wales, the national network of 22 Welsh local authority fostering teams, has now set out its bold aim of recruiting over 800 foster families by 2026, to provide safe homes for local young people.

In their new campaign, ‘bring something to the table,’ the organisation will utilise their greatest asset – current foster carers – to share realistic experiences of foster care and explore the small but significant human attributes people possess that can make the world of difference to a young person in care.

Cath and Neil Lucas are long-term foster carers in Wrexham. Their patience and perseverance in overcoming food insecurity felt by their foster children has directly inspired one of the campaign adverts. Their story aims to show that thoughtfulness, compassion, and a child centred approach is the most important ‘skill’ you require as a carer.

Cath said: "I think there's this misconception that you've got to be all singing, all dancing to be a foster carer. And it's just not true. Most of the foster carer friends we've got, they're just ordinary people who can offer a child a home and love. 

"You can come from any background, any walk of life. And those skills that you didn't think you have, you have when you need to use them."

She added: "We lay the table first thing in the morning, as for children meal time can either be non-existent or very erratic. Maybe they've not had a regular meal, they've not known how to sit around a table and just have family time. You're showing the child they're important and they're part of your family table."

Currently, Wales is in the process of a whole system change for children’s services.

The changes proposed in the 2021 co-operation agreement between Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru made a clear commitment to ‘eliminate private profit from the care of looked after children.’

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This means, by 2027, care of children that are looked after in Wales will be provided by public sector, charitable or not-for-profit organisations, and the need for local authority foster carers is greater than ever.

Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan, said: “Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and supportive home. There are many children in Wales with different needs and talents, who are unable to live with their birth parents, and need care.

“I know the decision to become a foster carer may not always be an easy one, but it is one which will make a real difference to the lives of many children. By fostering through Foster Wales, you can provide a local home to local children giving them stability, familiarity and belonging.

“Through the continued commitment of our foster families across Wales, children and young people are receiving the support they need, to develop and flourish. We want to make the pool of available foster parents in Wales as diverse as possible, to support the various needs of children in our care."