Advice

Every year Fostering Awareness Week takes place in March, highlighting the ever-important role of foster carers and those who support them within our local communities. This year is no exception and Fostering Awareness Week 2024 will take place from the 4th to the 8th of March. In the spirit of providing information about fostering in Ireland, as well as engaging with anyone considering fostering in 2024, Orchard Fostering is holding a number of information sessions that are open to anyone with a curiosity about fostering.

Christmas is a time that prioritizes family and expressing gratitude for loved ones. One of the joys of fostering around this season is being able to share your unique family traditions with a foster child. Similarly, it’s a wonderful way to extend a warm welcome to your foster child by incorporating some of their traditions or culture into your own home.  At Orchard Fostering, we encourage learning about and engaging with traditions near and far. That’s why we’ve decided to take a look at Christmas

Autumn is a perfect time to spend more time together as a family. As the days are getting shorter and cooler, enjoy some time both indoors and outdoors welcoming the new season. It’s easy to keep up quality time together during summer, with vacations and trips abroad. In autumn, as routines return to normal and children go back to school, it’s important to schedule in time together instead. There’s no better way to do this than embracing all that the season has to offer. Maybe

Described as the 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' by Keats, Autumn is a great time to consider expanding your family and embracing foster parenting. Autumn is famously known as a time of harvest and heralds the end of the old and the beginning of the new. Through foster care, you can expect to build new bonds, welcoming new experiences, and make a meaningful impact on the world around you. To celebrate the beginning of Autumn, we’ve decided to round up a few reasons to

It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting cooler and schools are opening up for the new term. Returning to school can be both an exciting and stressful time for foster carers and for foster children. But for foster teens in supported lodgings, it can present a different set of challenges. While foster teens in supported lodgings are learning to live independently, there are still many ways in which you can help them prepare for returning to school and give them vital life

We all know that climate change is one of the most significant challenges affecting the world today. From extreme weather events to alarming statistics, many young people are experiencing ‘eco-anxiety’ or climate change anxiety. Many are worried about the state of the world and the future of the planet. And quite rightly. While it’s important to educate children and foster teens about the truth, facts and figures surrounding climate change, it’s also important to educate foster children about what they can do to help and