Suffolk Fostering Service

08/10/2026

Unplanned, Unprepared, Unwavering

This year, Kinship are launching their new documentary photography series – ‘Unplanned, Unprepared, Unwavering’. Seven families, seven stories, one shared reality. Minutes to decide, they all became kinship carers with no time to prepare.

Watch here:

Kinship Care Week (5 to 11 October 2026) is a time to shine a light...

07/10/2026

The Kinship Together Podcast brings together real-life stories, experiences and advice directly from kinship carers.

This first episode features Gillian, a kinship carer who’s been looking after two of her grandchildren for around nine years. After facing a range of challenges, including the loss of her husband, Gillian gets support and friendship through her local peer support group for kinship carers. As secretary of the group, she plays an important role in making sure its members get the companionship, help and advice they need.

In the interview, Gillian talks about how it felt when she realised there were other kinship carers out there, and the impact her peer support group has had on both her confidence and life in general.

You can listen here: https://orlo.uk/r0Bso

06/10/2026

Across England and Wales, more than 141,000 children are being raised in kinship care, growing up in loving and stable homes that keep them connected to their families, roots and communities.

Kinship carers are grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings and family friends who take in children, often at a moment's notice and with little to no preparation. They may be caring under a legal arrangement, such as a Special Guardianship Order, as a kinship foster carer, or raising children informally without a legal order. Whatever their situation, they all play a crucial role in giving children, most of whom would otherwise be in the care system, safety, stability and a sense of belonging.

In Suffolk, we celebrate our wonderful kinship carers. Many live across England and Wales and have stepped into a caring role unexpectedly, showing incredible love, dedication and commitment. 💛

05/10/2026

We urgently need more Black foster carers.

Children thrive when the people caring for them understand and value their cultural identity. Foster carers can play a vital role in helping children develop a positive sense of self, maintain cultural connections and feel truly seen.

This Black History Month, we're encouraging more people from Black communities to explore fostering and the life-changing difference it can make.
Could fostering be right for you?

05/10/2026

This week, our Kinship team have an information stand in Endeavour House, providing information about Kinship Care and Private Fostering.

Whether you're already caring for a child in your family or simply want to learn more, pop by and find out about the support, advice and resources available. 🧡

05/10/2026

This Kinship Care Week, we’re celebrating the unbreakable bonds at the heart of kinship families – and the communities they build to support one another – while highlighting the realities of stepping up to care for a child who has had a difficult start in life.

This year Kinship Care also marks a major milestone: the 10th anniversary of Kinship Care Week.

Find out more about Kinship: https://orlo.uk/gzBdI

01/10/2026

Every child deserves to grow up feeling connected to who they are.

For Black and mixed heritage children, being raised by families who understand and celebrate their culture, identity and heritage can make a lasting difference.
This Black History Month, we're highlighting the need for more Black foster carers to help children stay connected to the people, communities and traditions that shape who they are.
Could you make a difference in a child's life?

Find out more about fostering: https://orlo.uk/Z6emk

29/09/2026

Join us for a relaxed and friendly online information session, where you'll learn more about fostering and hear first-hand from an experienced foster carer about their journey and the difference fostering can make to a child's life.

📆 Wednesday 7th October
⏰ 6:30pm - 8pm
📍 Online

Register your place by emailing [email protected]

28/09/2026

Some children wait longer to find the right foster home. 💔
Swipe to see the children we urgently need foster carers for. Could you help? 💛

25/09/2026

We're pleased to share this recommendation, not least because the story centres on a care experienced child living in foster care. Representation matters, and it's wonderful to see these experiences reflected in children's literature.

Waterstones Children's Book of the Month for September 2026: Jamaal Target: PHANTOM Agent - Jamaal Target

Alex Rider meets Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse in this fast-paced, action-packed middle-grade series about a ‘normal’ boy who discovers he has superpowers and is destined to join an elite yet secret organisation.

There’s nothing special about Jamaal Target. He’s your average twelve-year-old boy who lives with his foster mum and likes to game with his best friend Myla. Until one day, everything changes...

More information on the book can be found here:
https://orlo.uk/dU26k