An appeal has launched to find more foster carers for unaccompanied children who are seeking asylum in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. 

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fostering Service urgently needs carers to meet the needs of children and young people who are often forced to leave their family and country behind to seek protection. 

This could be protection from violence, persecution, war, detention, climate change, terrorism, or the disappearance of their family. 

When unaccompanied minors arrive in the UK, they are looked after by the local authority who will safeguard them and promote their welfare. 

They frequently take long and dangerous journeys alone, or are trafficked in circumstances unknown to them, arriving at their destination feeling confused, alone, and disorientated. 

Unaccompanied minors are also likely to have different cultural, religious, family and language experiences. 

Foster carers support unaccompanied minors to maintain their cultural and religious identity while helping them integrate into a community in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough. 

Peterborough City Council’s cabinet member for children's services, Cllr Lynne Ayres, said: “There are still many misconceptions out there which we believe are preventing compassionate, resilient people from considering becoming foster carers. 

“As a council, we’re highly experienced in caring for unaccompanied minors and have built links with a broad range of local communities to help young people develop their own sense of identity.” 

By becoming a part of the local authority’s fostering community, you can help to guide vulnerable children and young people through their early years and play a central role in supporting them to heal, and develop into happy, healthy adults who have a bright future. 

You will become part of a large local network of empathetic, compassionate foster carers who really make a difference to children and young people in care. 

If you’re passionate about making a difference to young lives, and are at least 21-years-old, have a spare bedroom and are a full-time resident in the UK, get in touch by visiting www.peterborough.gov.uk/fostering. 

Alternatively, you can email fosteringadoption@peterborough.gov.uk or call 0800 052 0078. 

Cllr Ayres added: “We urgently need foster carers for unaccompanied minors, so I would urge anyone interested to contact us as soon as possible.”