Ms Catherine Bond:

The Irish Foster Care Association has just concluded fostering fortnight, which ran from 4 March to 15 March. It is a two-week promotion of foster care and the benefits of being a foster carer. In parallel to it, we run an annual survey. We ask foster carers what attracts them to being a foster carer and what they offer. The majority would say if that anyone who wants to become a foster carer should talk to another foster carer as that is the best way to get information, as well as doing their own research. That is what our survey showed.

We really need to ensure that we retain our current foster carers as well as creating the environment for others to enter into becoming foster carers. It all comes back to the importance of supports for foster carers. It is really critical when somebody says they have a child with very complex needs, the placement is getting very stressed and they are all very stressed in the household, that somebody is there to respond and de-escalate the situation. If somebody has the supports that are required, he or she will stick with the task.