The FCA Cycle Challenge

During the last two weeks of May 2010, Morris Gooding and Chris Benjamin will cycle from Lands End to John O'Groats. Both work for Foster Care Associates: Morris (Moe) is a Senior Education Liaison Officer and Chris is a Social Work Team Manager, both based at the FCA Bristol Office (Bristol is Britain's first Cycling City and home of the Sustrans charity -  it's also very hilly!).

Supported by FCA, the Cycle Challenge will raise money for the Bulgarian NGO For Our Children as well as to highlight the need for more foster carers here in the UK.

Coordinated by the charity Fostering Network, Foster Care Fortnight encourages people to consider a career in fostering.  This year Foster Care Fortnight will be from 17th to 30th May.

Presently, around 53,000 children and young people live with 43,000 foster families in the UK. However, nationally there is a shortage of at least 10,000 foster families.

In order to provide these children with the best standard of care, each child should be able to live with a foster family carefully chosen to meet their individual needs. Just as each child is different, so are the foster carers needed to care for them. You can find out more about Fostering Fortnight and Fostering Network here.

Established in 1994, Foster Care Associates is the largest independent fostering agency in the UK, with over 80 offices across the country.

At present FCA supports approximately 2100 foster families looking after more than 2700 children and young people.

If you are interested in finding out more about FCA or may be considering becoming a foster carer, visit the FCA website.