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Barbadians are being called upon to open their hearts and their homes and foster some of the island’s children.

Senior Child Care Officer at the Child Care Board, Esther Bayley-Smith, made this call on the eve of Foster Care Week, which will be observed from Sunday, May 13 to Saturday, May 19.

Mrs. Bayley-Smith said even persons with busy schedules could volunteer to be emergency or short-term foster parents. She, therefore, urged those who could, to come forward and foster children, especially boys.

Underscoring the importance of fostering, she stated: "It not only provides a home away from home, but it gives a child a feeling of belonging and a sense of security. Even though a child might be separated from the family due to a number of reasons, being with a foster parent can help that child achieve and develop in the midst of circumstances beyond his control."

According to her, foster parents provide necessary support and stability in a child’s life, helping him or her to be reintegrated into society. She continued: "Fostering is recommended for any child who has to come into the care of the Child Care Board. Foster parents become a cushion for that child…They build a stepping stone so the child can rise against the storm and overcome the trauma."???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Acknowledging that foster parents would have to make some sacrifices, she expressed the view that at the end of the period they would feel rewarded because they had enriched the children’s lives and assisted them in becoming productive citizens.

Fostering is a temporary arrangement where persons approved by the Child Care Board accept the responsibility of taking care of a child, allowing him or her to be a part of their family. It can be on a short-term or emergency basis or an indefinite period because of various reasons, including a mother being hospitalised, homelessness, the death of a parent or guardian, abuse, a parent’s inability to care for the child or abandonment.

Persons who are interested in fostering should contact the Board at 426-2577 or visit its Fred Edghill Headquarters at Cheapside, St. Michael.

sharon.austingill-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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