Derbyshire celebrates Foster Care Fortnight 2026

This Foster Care Fortnight, Derbyshire County Council is celebrating the vital role its carers play in transforming young lives.

Running until Sunday 24th May, the theme this year is ‘This Is Fostering’ aiming to highlight the realities of fostering and the difference carers make every day.

It recognises the skill, resilience and commitment required to support children, often in complex circumstances and throughout the fortnight, carers will bring these experiences to life.

Derbyshire County Council is part of Foster for East Midlands Councils – a regional fostering hub, bringing together Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire councils.

Collectively the aim is to increase the number of foster carers across the region while ensuring they receive the support and guidance needed to succeed.

More carers are urgently needed and having carers locally means more children can remain close to their schools, friends and communities, maintaining important connections and stability.

During Foster Care Fortnight 2026, Derbyshire carers have shared their stories to raise awareness of fostering and encourage more people to consider making a difference.

They share some of the most memorable moments as Derbyshire’s foster carers:

Hayley reflected on the long-term impact of fostering. She said: “The biggest win is when a child starts to listen to you and takes on board what you’ve been saying. I’ve had a long-term foster daughter for 10 years and after she moved out she told me: ‘You were right about everything.’ And that, as any parent knows, is just amazing.”

Lee shared his pride of seeing a young person grow in confidence. He said: “Our first lad joined a local rugby team, and I remember him playing a match where he was captain, he was roaring everyone on and leading the team. It really made me smile.

“You hope that one day they’ll look back on those times – the matches, the car journeys, the experiences – and remember that there were people there who cared and wanted to help.”

Derbyshire County Council Leader Councillor Alan Graves said: “Foster Care Fortnight is an important opportunity to recognise the incredible difference foster carers make to the lives of children and young people across our region.

“It shines a light on the dedication, compassion and resilience our carers show every day.

“Foster carers don’t just provide a safe place to live but the stability and support that helps children rebuild trust and look forward with confidence.

“We’re proud to support this campaign and to stand alongside our foster carers, whose commitment continues to change lives.

“We encourage anyone who has ever considered fostering to come forward and find out more – your support could make a lasting difference to a child’s future.”

Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive of The Fostering Network which leads Foster Care Fortnight, added: “The UK is in urgent need of more foster carers. Each year, we are losing more carers than we are gaining, and that simply isn’t sustainable.

“This Foster Care Fortnight, we will be encouraging people to consider fostering while saying a big thank you to our existing foster carers for everything they do.”

Anyone who would like to find out more about fostering can visit Foster for East Midlands Councils or call 03033 132 950.