Pupils Fly Kites To Raise Awareness of Fostering
Today (Thursday 19 March) the sky above Nairn beach was more colourful than usual for this time of year as 60 pupils from two Highland schools were filmed flying kites for a new DVD to promote fostering in the Highlands.
Primary 6 and 7 children from Strathpeffer Primary and Rosebank Primary, Nairn, school were willing film stars for the day as footage of them flying their kites was filmed. The DVD will be premiered during national Foster Care Forthnight, 11-24 May when The Highland Council will have an extensive multimedia recruitment campaign.
Fostering Manager Irene Bloomfield said: “We are delighted that these primary schools are helping with the DVD about fostering. Strathpeffer have helped before with children’s drawings and Rosebank children have helped making Nairn beach free from litter, so there are connections.
“In our forthcoming campaign 11-24 May to attract more carers we are using an animation TV advert where the characters fly a kite on the Nairn beach. This was the inspiration for this event. The kite flying session will be used in an information film which will help the public understand more about fostering. Fostering is about changing children’s lives for the better and I am pleased that the two schools are helping us with the project.”
In Highland 170 children ranging in ages from 0 to 18 are in Foster Care. Many more children and young people affected by disability need care for short breaks to help them and their families.
Chairman of the Housing and Social Work Committee, Councillor Margaret Davidson said she was looking forward to seeing the new promotional DVD.
“Foster carers have a vital role to play by giving children and teenagers the chance to reach their potential. In Highland short break carers are needed for weekends and holidays, families who will take children and young people in an emergency, support young people to continue their education locally and permanent foster families for sibling groups of three and young people with a disability.”
Anyone interested in finding out more about fostering should contact the Highland Council on 01463 703431 or at fostering@highland.gov.uk.