Celebrating our fostering community this Autumn
At FCA Scotland, fostering is about more than providing a safe and supportive home – it’s about helping children and young people build confidence, celebrate achievements and create positive memories that last a lifetime. From welcoming new foster carers to recognising the dedication of experienced families, we’re proud of the community that makes this possible. Every milestone, shared experience and moment of encouragement helps children feel valued, supported and part of a family.
We would like to extend a big, warm welcome to our new foster carers who have joined us – Wilma will be joining our North East Support Group, and Michelle will be joining our West Support Group. We are delighted to welcome you both into your new exciting journey of fostering.
We are proud to recognise our foster carers Sandy, Michelle C, Angela G, and Lesley & John who have marked a fantastic 15 years of fostering with FCA Scotland. The extraordinary level of compassion and commitment to care is highly admirable and deeply impactful. We thank you for all your ongoing support and love you continue to show.
We also celebrated Razwana who celebrated an amazing 3 years of fostering with FCA Scotland. A fantastic milestone to be celebrated. Thank you very much for all yourdedication and care.
As the autumn months bring new routines, opportunities and exciting activities, our fostering community continues to grow and support one another. Through training, support groups and family events, foster carers have opportunities to connect, share experiences and learn together throughout their fostering journey. Whether you’re an experienced foster carer or just beginning to explore fostering, being part of a supportive community can make a real difference – not only to carers, but to the children and young people whose lives they help shape.
Young people’s achievements
We are always immensely proud of all our children and young people and the wonderful things they achieve. Today, we’d like to say a massive well done to the following young people:
- K (15) completed their Army Cadet Achievement for Citizenship and Teamwork
- C (15) has been awarded first aid at work certificate
- B (11) who received a positive post card from school as it was noted how much they are trying
- K (13) achieving your St John Ambulance essential first aid badge with the RAF Cadets
- F (10) who was awarded a P.A.R.K. Award at school for always having a positive attitude
- F (10) who was accepted into the Cobra group and received their Cobra badge at Scouts
- M (18) who passed their driving test
- A (13) who took part in part in Columba 1400, standing out as a good leader and working together as a team
- H (10) who was courageous in chatting with the head teacher about lunch time club ideas for all pupils
- S (10) who enjoyed lots of first experiences, visiting Harry Potter Studios, Legoland Windsor and attended the Cammy Barnes concert
- B (10) who has moved up a level in swimming
- A (7) who received the pupil of the week for his years
- A (6) who received a school achievement award
- C (8) who a received the gymnast of the week award, 2 weeks in a row
- B (8) who was named writer of the week and was recognised for taking their time to concentrate on making their hand writing neater
- A (7) who was Pupil of the Week at school, for being a successful learner and using his phonics to write a fantastic story
A fantastic day on the ice at Fife Ice Arena!
Our October event at Fife Ice Arena was a brilliant day filled with laughter, fun and plenty of memorable moments!
We were delighted to welcome 14 young people and their foster carers for a chance to get together, try something different and enjoy some quality time together away from the usual day-to-day routines. There was plenty of excitement as everyone took to the ice, and it was wonderful to see so many people getting involved – including our foster carers, who were more than happy to join in the fun!
Events like these are a lovely opportunity for children and young people to build friendships, try new experiences and create happy memories. They also give foster families the chance to spend time with one another, connect with other carers and enjoy being part of the wider FCA Scotland fostering community.
A huge thank you to everyone who came along and helped make the day so special. It’s safe to say there were plenty of smiles, lots of laughter and memories to take away!
We look forward to seeing everyone at our next event.
Supporting our local community
As part of our ongoing social value commitments, FCA Scotland is proud to support small organisations and community groups across the country, helping to make a positive difference to the people and families they support.
A huge thank you to our wonderful staff members who volunteered their time at the Baby Bank in Hamilton. The team helped prepare essential item bags for families in need, clean and organise baby equipment, and sort clothes and toys for Christmas. It was a fantastic team effort and a lovely opportunity to support families in our community.
We were delighted to visit Kilmacolm Playgroup and Toddlers to show our support by providing supplies to stock up their nursery snacks, along with plenty of tea and coffee for the parents to enjoy. We know how important local playgroups and toddler groups are in bringing communities together, and we were pleased to be able to support them.
Behind-the-scenes visit to Hampden Park
During the October school holidays, we enjoyed a fantastic day out with a special visit to Hampden Park, Scotland’s National Stadium!
The group had the chance to go behind the scenes and explore some of the areas usually reserved for players and officials. From stepping inside the dressing rooms and walking through the players’ tunnel to taking in the view from the stands, everyone got a taste of what it’s like to experience match day at one of Scotland’s most iconic sporting venues. There was plenty of excitement as everyone imagined what it must feel like to walk out onto the pitch in front of a crowd of cheering fans!
A special mention goes to Jimmy McFoster, who also joined in the fun and was part of the day’s adventures.
It was a brilliant opportunity for everyone to try something new, enjoy time together and make some special memories during the school holidays. A fantastic day was had by all!
Supporting our families
We run a regular Continuing Care Support Group which is a great opportunity for carers with young people age 16+ to come together and share their experiences of caring for our older young people. These groups often feature guest speakers and have been invaluable for our families.
This month we held a session with some of our therapists called Connect and Reflect, which focused on foster carers’ wellbeing and offered a chance to reflect on their fostering journeys. Everyone enjoyed the session, including the lovely lunch and creative activities.
