West Sussex County Council has launched an urgent appeal for residents who can open their hearts and homes to siblings in need of foster care, ensuring that brothers and sisters can stay together when they need each other most.
Across West Sussex, foster carers provide love, stability and care to children and young people. But with ever growing need, the council is calling on people from all walks of life to step forward, so that every child can be matched with the right home for their needs and, where possible, alongside their siblings.
Helping siblings settle together
Tracey, a West Sussex County Council foster carer from Crawley, knows first-hand the importance of caring for siblings, and how everyday acts of care can change lives. She said: “My fostering journey began with two little boys. They were small, polite, and unsure of everything. One of the first things we did was take them shopping so they could choose a few things of their own - a school uniform, shoes, bedding, and little bits that made their eyes light up.
“The next morning, one of them stood in front of the mirror, turning slowly, taking himself in. Then he smiled and said, ‘I look like everyone else.’ When we got to school, he didn’t walk in, he ran! His teacher later told us how different he seemed calmer, proud, like he finally felt he belonged.”
For many children coming into care, remaining with brothers or sisters is the most important aspect of adjusting to life in a new home, and siblings make up the majority of the council’s emergency requests for carers. Keeping siblings together helps preserve the bonds that matter most at a time of uncertainty and upheaval. When children are unable to stay together, it can deepen feelings of loss, loneliness and anxiety, making it harder for them to settle, feel secure and begin to heal.
Foster Care Fortnight
The appeal for more carers coincides with Foster Care Fortnight (11-24 May). This year’s theme, This is Fostering, focuses on the everyday reality of fostering; the quiet, often unseen moments that help children feel safe, valued and understood. It highlights the skill, judgement and resilience foster carers show in patiently rebuilding trust, providing consistency and helping children feel comfortable in a new environment.
Tracy said: “Fostering isn’t just those warm moments. We noticed one of the brothers had damaged some of the things he’d chosen from our shopping trip. When we gently asked why, he said, ‘So we can’t sell them.’
“That winded me. It was a glimpse into a world where nothing felt permanent. It reminded me that fostering is about so much more than providing a bed, it’s about helping children feel safe enough to believe that what they have, and who they’re with, won’t disappear.”
Can you help?
While all children in West Sussex’s care are safe, there are still many more children needing homes than there are foster carers. This means that some are living further away from their schools, friends and support networks. It can also make it harder to keep siblings together, even when that is in their best interests. Having more local foster carers, especially those able to foster sibling of two or more, can make a lasting difference to children’s wellbeing, stability and sense of belonging.
By fostering with West Sussex County Council, carers become part of a strong local community, with ongoing professional support, training, and a competitive financial package of up to £32,347 per year for foster carers, and £15,496 per year for Supported Lodgings Hosts (per child or young person – fee based on your experience, the age of the child and the length of time a child is in your care).
Director of Children’s Services, Dan Ruaux, said: “This is about recognising the everyday moments that truly matter; showing up, staying consistent, being patient, and offering reassurance when a child needs it most.
“It’s also about understanding how important it can be for siblings to stay together. Keeping brothers and sisters together, at what we know is a scary and uncertain time, can help children feel less alone and more able to rebuild trust.
“There are still many children and young people in need of a place to call home, and I would encourage anyone who has ever considered fostering, especially those who could help keep siblings together, to get in touch with our dedicated team.”
Could you support a local child, or siblings, when they need it most?
Contact Fostering West Sussex on 0330 222 7775 or visit fosteringwestsussex.org.uk to find out more.
