MORE foster carers are urgently needed to ensure every child can be matched with the right home for their individual needs.

In Devon, Devon County Council have 271 approved foster homes, but 810 children in need of care.

Many children are placed with families outside the county, away from their communities, or in care homes so we need to find more loving homes within Devon.

‘We are seeing more people come forward this year, with more than 30 potential new carers currently in the approval process but we still need more – could you open your home to a child in need?’, says a spokesperson for the council.

The Fostering Network is running its Foster Care Fortnight campaign, which runs from May 11 to 24.

It is a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the impact of foster care, and to encourage more people to consider becoming foster carers.

This year’s theme ‘This is Fostering’ shines a light on the everyday realities of fostering, raising awareness of the profound impact foster carers have on children’s lives.

It celebrates the skills, commitment and love they show, often in incredibly challenging circumstances.

Throughout Foster Care Fortnight voices from across the fostering community will be sharing stories that raise awareness of their daily experiences.

For foster carers, this could be the small moments that matter – helping a child build trust, getting them ready for a new school or adjusting their approach each time a child arrives.

The aim is to show what fostering really involves – the skill, judgement and resilience it takes to provide safe, consistent care for children.

By sharing these stories, we can raise awareness of what it truly takes to be a foster carer, and why it needs to be properly valued and supported.

Councillor Richard Jefferies, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Devon County Council said: ‘Foster carers make a life‑changing difference to children and young people every day.

‘Foster Care Fortnight is a chance to thank them for their incredible commitment, and to encourage more people to consider fostering and help ensure every child feels safe, valued and supported here in Devon’.