This Pride Month, we are highlighting foster carers from the LGBTQ+ community and encouraging others to consider fostering vulnerable children.
The council needs to recruit 60 foster carers every year to offer children a safe, secure and nurturing home where they can thrive.
We are urging carers from all backgrounds to step forward.
We welcome carers from any age, sexuality, ethnicity and family type including LGBTQ+, married, single or retired.
Currently, only 2.5% of all our foster carers are from the LGBTQ+ community.
Jason and his same-sex partner, from Coggeshall in North-Essex, have been fostering for three years.
Jason felt the need for a new direction in life and was keen to experience family life through long-term fostering placements.
Since Jason welcomed his six-year-old foster son into the family he has enjoyed the benefits of bringing up a vulnerable child in care.
Jason said: “I love seeing our foster son progress at school, meeting friends, building his confidence and playing sports. It’s great to know that my partner and I are helping to shape his life. It’s a joy to see a young lad grow and enjoy a normal family life, becoming a part of society where he wasn’t before.
“As a same-sex couple, we never felt any different. From the outset we felt supported by Essex County Council. We were assigned a social worker and we buddied up with similar households where we all keep in touch.
"It’s like Essex County Council are waving a magic wand. They work so hard behind the scenes to offer training, support, guidance and networking opportunities so we can be the best foster carers possible.
“My outlook on life has changed so much, I’m a lot happier and I have a lot more flexibility in my day. I can work alongside fostering. We thought it would be the opposite, that our usual life would disappear, but fostering has changed our lives for the better.”
Jason’s advice for other people considering fostering is to "have patience, energy and allow time for yourself". He adds "always have a positive outlook too!”
We offer a variety of fostering opportunities including long-term, part-time and respite care.
Find out more about fostering with us and when the next fostering information event is taking place.