Local youngsters have fun learning to horse ride

April 13, 2011 - PRLog -- A group of youngsters recently took some lessons in horse riding at Burley Villa School of Riding in the New Forest and enjoyed an afternoon of fun at a special day organised by local independent fostering agency Blue Sky Fostering. The youngsters taking part are all the birth children of some of the Blue Sky foster carers in the region.

The agency often organises these types of events which encourages birth children from the local area to come together and have some fun.

Charlene Knowles, Social Work Assistant who organised the event said, "It's really important for us to organise these types of events for our birth children as they play such an important role in a foster family. Birth children in a foster family are sharing their home and their parents but at the same time they have the opportunity to make new friends and help to make a difference to a child or young person who is less privileged than themselves."

Blue Sky Fostering are always looking for foster carers in the area who can offer a safe and secure home environment to a looked after child or young person. In return for making this commitment to young people in the area, Blue Sky foster carers receive a weekly allowance, ongoing training and support (including one-to-one sessions with social workers and meetings with other foster carers) and 14 days’ paid holiday.

If you would like to make a difference to a young person's life in the area, get in touch with the team at Blue Sky Fostering to find out if a career in fostering is for you. For more information, take a look at http://www.blueskyfostering.com, or call 0845 6076697.












Notes to editors

About Blue Sky Fostering
The Ofsted approved foster care agency Blue Sky Fostering was established in 2005, with the aim of addressing the need for more foster carers in the south of England. Since then, we have built a reputation for excellence, providing extensive training for and support during the challenges that come with being a professional foster carer. Working together with our foster carers, we believe we can help every child reach his or her full potential, regardless of previous life experiences.
Based in Romsey, Hampshire, but operating across the south of England, Blue Sky supports over 70 foster carers, caring for around 80 children across the region. Blue Sky was deemed 'outstanding' as a fostering provider following an inspection by Ofsted in 2008 and 2011.


About foster care
Across England, there are an estimated 64,000 children in the care system. Over 44,000 of these children and young people – the majority of whom are aged between 10 and 15 – are in foster care. The need for foster carers is increasing each year, with a shortfall of around 10,000 foster carers nationwide.

For more information about Blue Sky Fostering and our work, please contact Katrina McDuff at katrina@blueskyfostering.co.uk or on 01794 590003.