The Vale of Glamorgan Council has joined a campaign to significantly increase the number and diversity of foster carers in Wales.

Organised by national body Foster Wales, it brings together the 22 Local Authorities to form a new network designed to make a substantial national impact on the futures of young people.

There are hundreds of children looking for foster families and a place to call home in Wales, with the Vale Council helping more than 20 per week, and over a third (39 per cent) of Welsh adults say they have considered becoming a foster carer.

This particular campaign aims to increase the number of foster parents needed for children to remain in their local areas, when that is right for them.

Keeping children within their communities can beof huge benefit, maintaining friendship groups and school arrangements, which helps to build confidence and reduce stress.

Cllr Ben Gray, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health, said: "Becoming a foster carer is a decision to help local children who need someone to listen to them. To believe in them.Children who need someone on their side, someone to love them.

"It's a decision to work with people who share those aims, people like our fostering team here in the Vale of Glamorgan. There is still a need to recruit an estimated 550 new foster carers and families across Wales every year. This is to keep up with the numbers of children who need care and support, whilereplacing carers who retire orprovide a permanent home to children.

"Anyone who fosters with our Foster Wales team does so safe in the knowledgethat wherevertheirfostering future takesthem, we'll be besidethemevery step of the way with all the dedicated expertise, advice and training needed to support theirfostering journey.

"All children have a right to thrive.Allwe need is more peoplelike youto open their doors and welcome them in."

Launching Foster Wales in July, Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan MS, said: "I know from listening to foster carers just how rewarding fostering can be. This new initiative will benefit looked after children and allow Local Authority fostering and recruitment teams across Wales to think bigger, creating a national impact without losing their advantage of specific local expertise.

"This government is committed to reducing the number of children in care, giving care experienced children betteroutcomes,and importantly eliminating the profit element of childrenin care. Foster Wales is part of achieving this promise and will better enable children to stay in their community and meet the evolving needs of foster children and the people who foster them."

While no two children are the same, neither is the foster care they need. There is no typical foster family. Whether somebody owns their own home or rents, whether they're married or single. Whatever their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or faith, there are young people who need someone on their side.

To find out more about fostering in the Vale of Glamorgan, please visit https://valeofglamorgan.fosterwales.gov.wales/