Community spirit shines as Fostering Barnsley partners with Barnsley Football Club for an annual takeover day

On Saturday, Fostering Barnsley once again partnered with Barnsley Football Club for a takeover day, celebrating fostering and raising awareness of the importance and ongoing need for foster carers in Barnsley.

At the home match on Saturday 14 February against Wimbledon, our wonderful foster families came together to attend the game thanks to tickets generously donated by Rapid Response Telecoms Ltd. 

Members of our fostering team hosted an information stall, speaking with fans about the vital role foster carers play, why fostering matters, and the steps involved for anyone interested in becoming a foster carer in Barnsley.

In celebration of their work, members of the Fostering Barnsley team also took part in a half-time pitch walk and received applause in recognition of their dedication and commitment to changing children’s lives.

In Barnsley, our Great Childhoods Ambition represents a commitment to improving the lives of children across the borough, ensuring they feel a sense of belonging and can explore, dream, grow and connect.

We’re proud to support children and young people in care within our community, helping to ensure they can live in a loving home filled with stability, encouragement, and support.

Thanks to the dedication of our foster carers, we see first-hand the positive impact fostering has on our children and young people, giving them the best possible start in life and into adulthood.

Amy Milne, from Barnsley FC Community Trust, said:

We were delighted to help support Fostering Barnsley in taking over Oakwell for a third time. We’d like to thank the club for their continued support, and Rapid Response Telecoms for generously donating tickets for carers and their families. We hope the takeover day helped inform and inspire fans about the fantastic work carried out by the team at Fostering Barnsley.

Councillor Ashley Peace, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children’s Services, said:

The takeover day was once again a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the incredible foster carers we have in Barnsley. The support and loving homes our foster carers give children and young people in our borough is invaluable.

"Barnsley needs more foster carers to ensure children can remain close to their schools, communities, and support networks. Right now, the number of children needing safe, stable homes is outpacing the number of available foster families. We’re calling on residents to consider whether they could offer a child the security and care they deserve. It’s an incredibly rewarding role, supporting a child through their formative years and into adulthood.

"A huge thank you to Barnsley Football Club for partnering with us for another year, to raise awareness on the life-changing impact our foster carers have on children and young people, and to Rapid Response Telecoms Ltd. for donating tickets so fostering families could join in on the fun on Saturday.

There is no such thing as a typical foster carer - we welcome people from a wide variety of backgrounds and circumstances. Anyone can foster if they are over the age of 21, have a spare room, and have the energy and enthusiasm to look after a child.

To find out more about fostering in Barnsley, visit fosteringbarnsley.co.uk or give the team a call on 01226 978600.