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Diary date for prospective foster parents E-mail
Written by David Raleigh   
Wednesday, 05 November 2008
LIMERICK people interested in fostering children can attend a series of information meetings and workshops this week.The Irish Foster Carer Association (IFCA) and the Health Service Executive have launched this year’s ‘Focus on Fostering Week’, which runs from November 3-7 at a special reception in the Mansion House.On hand to launch the initiative were foster parents and foster children, along with television personality Blathnaid Ni Chofaigh, representatives of the IFCA and HSE staff who implement fostering services throughout Ireland.The aim of the campaign, entitled ‘Could you give a child a chance?’ is to raise awareness of fostering and to assist HSE Local Health Offices in recruiting foster carers.Fostering is a service for children who, for a variety of reasons, cannot live with their own family.This may be for a short time, perhaps a week or two, or can be a longer term requirement. Foster parents provide a stable and caring home for children who cannot live with their own family, in what can be difficult times in their lives.Fostering is a hugely rewarding experience; people who open their homes to children who need fostering by providing a stable, secure and loving environment changes the lives of the children and young people in their care. There are currently almost 5,000 children in foster care in Ireland. The HSE has statutory responsibility for Child Welfare and Protection, and HSE Fostering Teams all over the country work to recruit, assess, train and support Foster Parents to care for children.The IFCA is the national peer support organisation for Foster Parents in Ireland. Information sessions and events, organised by HSE Fostering Teams across the county, will take place during and after Focus on Fostering week.Some of the events taking place across Limerick during and after the Focus on Fostering Week include: Tuesday, November 4, 11am-4pm, Information stall at Moyross Community Library, Watch House Cross, Limerick; Thursday, November 6, 11am-4pm, Information stall at the Jetland Shopping Centre, Ennis Road, Limerick; Friday, November 7, Launch of Foster Care in Post Primary Schools and Post Primary SPHE Workbooks-Exhibition Area, Crescent Library, Dooradoyle, Limerick at 10.30am; Information Stall on Fostering-Crescent Shopping Centre, Dooradoyle, Limerick 11am-4pm.Prospective foster carers can apply by contacting the Fostering Team at the HSE Local Health Office, calling the HSE Infoline on 1850-24-1850 or visit www.hse.ie/en/fostering 

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