Fostering news

LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week (3 to 9 March 2025)

We want to remind you that fostering or adopting is open to people from all backgrounds. It is an annual campaign led by the national charity New Family Social. We are also working in partnership with Adopt South-West.

Events during the week include:

Tuesday 4 March - an online webinar run by New Family Social
Wednesday 5 March - our Fostering team attending the South Devon College Careers Fair

Find out more about LGBTQ+ Adoption and Fostering Week

New Mockingbird fostering scheme launched for Torbay. Foster families celebrated at Paignton Zoo

Half-term week was a busy one for Fostering in Torbay.

It was the official launch of a new pilot scheme to support foster carers in Brixham. The scheme is based on a globally award-winning programme. On Wednesday we held a celebration event for fostering families at Paignton Zoo. More than 1,500 people attended these special gatherings across the country at:

Paignton Zoo
Newquay Zoo
Monkey World
Bristol Zoo Project
Cotswold Wildlife Park

Fostering South-West, the regional fostering hub organised it all. They were also joined by Mood Bears. They are an official partner of Fostering South-West.

On Thursday we launched the first new Mockingbird Family Model. This was at Churston Golf Club near Brixham. We were joined by:

Foster carers
children involved with the local scheme
representatives from Torbay Council
other partners

Find out more about both events

Train of Lights

Hundreds of people enjoyed taking part in Dartmouth Steam Railway’s annual Christmas Train of Lights. People from Torbay’s fostering team, special guardians, families with additional needs and our care experienced young people all had a great time. Thank you to Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company for hosting the event. Thanks also to Fostering South West and Mood Bears for supporting the event. If you are thinking of becoming a Foster Carer please call 01803 207845, email us, or visit our webpages.

Christmas party to celebrate Torbay Foster Carers

A Christmas party was held for Torbay’s foster carers and children at Upton Vale church. This was for our Foster Carers to celebrate Christmas and to say thank you for all their hard work throughout the year. The event was well attended with more than 50 people taking part. As well as Christmas party music and food there was a raffle. The event was also attended by Torbay Council’s Fostering team, Director of Children’s Services Nancy Meehan, and Councillor Nick Bye, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services. This is just one of the great events we hold for Foster Carers throughout the year. From summer barbecues, to quarterly Fostering forums, to the annual Train of Lights event. If you are thinking of becoming a Foster Carer please call 01803 207845, email us, or visit our webpages.

Other Fostering news

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