More foster mums and fathers wanted
The district of Waldeck-Frankenberg and its foster children's service of the youth department invited all those who look after foster children as foster mothers and foster fathers to a family celebration at the Edersee sports camp to thank them for their work and commitment. "Children need a stable family environment so that they can develop well and become contributing members of our society. Foster families provide this framework, a new home for children in which they can grow up safely," said District Administrator Jürgen van der Horst in his welcoming address.
However, it is also important for foster families to socialise, for which the family festival offers the perfect opportunity. The outdoor area of the sports camp offered numerous activities for the district's guests - a challenging climbing net, a ninja slope for the brave, a long rope slide, a group seesaw and a wooden suspension bridge. A beach volleyball court, a sports field for football and athletics as well as table tennis tables were available for sports activities. In addition, after a brief introduction to climbing techniques and safety, a seven metre high indoor climbing wall could be used.
The children quickly bonded while playing, experiencing and moving around, and the adults quickly got talking too. The staff from the Youth Specialist Service's foster children service took the opportunity to clarify any unanswered questions and provide further information on the topic. More foster parents are being sought and are very welcome. This is because situations can always arise where parents are temporarily or indefinitely unable to bring up, look after and care for their children. In such cases, the children are often taken in by foster families.
In principle, any person can be considered as a foster parent if they are sure that their own family is stable enough to take in a child temporarily or integrate them for an indefinite period of time. Empathy, tolerance, consistency, perseverance, flexibility and mental and physical resilience are also important.
The spatial and financial situation also play a role, as does the close and trusting cooperation with the district's foster care service. Anyone interested in taking in a foster child - whether for a short period (on-call or short-term care) or on a permanent basis - can contact the district's specialised youth service at jugend@lkwafkb.de. Further information on the subject of foster families can be found under the keyword "foster families".
Caption: At the invitation of the district, foster families met for sport, games, fun and dialogue at the sports camp on Lake Edersee.