Potential foster carers in North Somerset are being urged to come forward this New Year and help make a difference to the lives of children and young people in the area.

Currently around 230 children in North Somerset are in foster care at any one time. Sometimes, due to a shortage of foster carers in North Somerset, children have to be placed in expensive, private foster care placements outside of the area – away from their schools, friends and other familiar sources of support.

North Somerset Council’s fostering team are holding their next information evening at Costa Coffee, Oxford Street in Weston-super-Mare (near Nando’s), from 6.30pm to 8pm on Wednesday 16 January.

The team are hoping that people who come along to that event to find out more about becoming a foster carer will go on to take part in their Skills to Foster course, which is due to start at the beginning of February.

Find out more about becoming a foster carer by visiting www.n-somerset.gov.uk/fostering or calling 01275 888 999.