Hampshire County Council is urging people to become foster carers for vulnerable children.

The new campaign is inspired by the experiences of a local foster carer, Hannah, and her story has been made into a short film.

The animation, voiced by a fellow foster carer, highlights the impact of simple everyday moments on both foster carers and the children they look after.

The council’s fostering service is open to people from various backgrounds, including those from the LGBTQ+ community, different faiths, ethnic minorities, and single carers.

There is no requirement for carers to own their homes or have previous childcare experience.

This project is a support network of local groups that form an ‘extended family’ for foster carers and their children throughout Hampshire.

Councillor Roz Chadd, the county council’s cabinet lead for children’s services, said: "Hannah’s words remind us of a simple but powerful message: that the everyday moments of family life, which are so often taken for granted, can make a huge difference to a vulnerable child - for whom such moments may previously have been a rarity.

"We always need new foster carers as people either eventually retire from fostering or their personal circumstances change. Our foster carers come from lots of different backgrounds and undertake many types of fostering arrangements to fit around their lives while meeting children’s individual needs.

"If this sounds like you, please get in touch with our Fostering Service to find out more. That conversation could be the first step in changing a child’s life."

Fostering opportunities vary from short-term to long-term care, emergency and out-of-hours care, respite care, and parent and child fostering.

Carers can look after children and young people of all ages, from infants to teenagers, as well as sibling groups and children with additional needs and disabilities.

More details on fostering can be found on the Hampshire County Council Fostering Service website.