Foster Care Fortnight 2026: This is Fostering in the East Riding

Foster Care Fortnight runs from Monday 11 May to Sunday 24 May 2026, and this year’s theme is “This is Fostering.” Led by The Fostering Network, the campaign is the UK’s biggest awareness-raising campaign for fostering, celebrating the people, families and everyday moments that make fostering so important.

Here in the East Riding, This is Fostering is about shining a light on the real experiences of foster care. It is the school run, the bedtime story, the reassuring conversation after a difficult day, the shared meal, the steady routine, and the small moments of trust that help children feel safe, supported and able to thrive.

Fostering is not only about providing a place to stay. It is about offering stability, patience, encouragement and care at a time when a child or young person may need it most. Foster carers help children stay connected to their communities, build confidence, and experience the everyday parts of childhood that can make such a lasting difference.

Across the East Riding and surrounding areas, foster carers are supported through training, guidance, social events, local support groups and dedicated social workers. East Riding Fostering says carers receive practical, emotional and therapeutic support, alongside opportunities to connect with other foster families.

This year’s theme reminds us that fostering looks different for every household. Some people provide short-term care, some offer long-term stability, some support siblings, teenagers, babies, parent-and-child arrangements, or emergency placements. What connects every foster carer is the willingness to make space in their home and life for a child who needs care, consistency and understanding.

Foster Care Fortnight is also a chance to recognise the wider community around fostering. Not everyone can foster, but everyone can help. Local organisations, charities, schools, community groups, employers and neighbours all have a role to play in creating a supportive environment for children, young people and foster families.

Whether you are thinking about fostering, supporting someone who already fosters, or simply want to understand more, this fortnight is an opportunity to listen, learn and celebrate the difference foster care makes.

This is fostering. This is care in action. This is community.

Local fostering support and information

Here are some useful local and regional links:

East Riding Fostering – information about fostering with East Riding Council, including types of fostering, support, allowances and how to apply.

East Riding Fostering support – details of training, social events, support groups and the private Facebook group for approved East Riding foster carers.

Together We Foster CIC /Hull fostering community support 

Hull Fostering– useful for neighbouring Hull-based fostering information, events and local fostering community news.

The Fostering Network– national charity leading Foster Care Fortnight, with resources and information about fostering across the UK.

The Foster Care Charity – Hull and Humberside – regional fostering information for people in Hull and Humberside, including local support and different types of foster care.

Young People at Heart / Home for Good – fostering pathway agency listed for Doncaster, East Riding, Hull and York.

Compass Fostering – East Riding of Yorkshire– independent fostering agency providing fostering information and support in the East Riding area.

Orange Grove Foster Care – Beverley / East Riding– independent fostering agency with a Beverley team supporting foster parents across the East Riding and surrounding areas.