‘ANY OF US’ – a new film to promote fostering – was premiered on Tuesday in Coventry and across the country, writes Jessica Blissitt.
This is the sixth film produced through a partnership between the council and children’s trust since the first collaborative movie ‘Giants’ premiered in 2017.
As the largest public sector fostering film collaboration to date, with more than 80 participating councils, this film aims to encourage people to foster for their local authority.
Coun Pat Seaman, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “Our previous films have really helped to get that message out and to help people that make that life-changing decision to foster.”
Her comments come amidst as the shortage of foster carers in the public sector rises as well as a much bigger shortage of foster carers nationwide.
Produced by Reel Twenty Five, ‘Any of Us’ focuses on three ordinary people providing aid and assistance in everyday scenarios – helping someone in a minor accident, de-escalating a hostile situation in a snooker club and intervening when a young person shows signs of distress at school.
These situations, according to project director Rachel Brown, were inspired by foster parents sharing their personal stories with those who were considering fostering.
We follow Chloe’s foster care path as these three compassionate people ultimately end up caring for her.
These examples illustrate the idea that ‘Any of Us’ has the capacity to foster a child or young person.
Coun Seaman added Coventry had many amazing foster carers who had helped the council achieve a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted for the way it operated but sadly more people needed to come forward to meet the demand.
With a shortage of 6,000 fostering homes in England, according to Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive of the Fostering Network, this movie served a ‘vital role’ in the national picture by highlighting the requirement for foster carers.
Ms Thomas added it would now be crucial to get the film to as many audiences as possible so more people took that first step to becoming the foster carers needed across the country.
Council fostering services, including Sandwell Children’s Trust and those involved in the project, have been holding local launches of ‘Any of Us’ nationwide.
