Inspirational Portadown couple recognised for going 'above and beyond' during 10 years of foster caring children

Jason and Cathy Gordon have won the Excellence in Foster Care Award after ten years of top class caring for children they have fostered.

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The Gordons foster alongside their children Daniel, Molly and Joel. For the last ten years they have looked after children who needed short-term foster care – including short breaks and emergency placements. Cathy continues to support parents where children have returned home, acting as part of their support network. She maintains contact with young people who have moved onto other foster homes.

A spokesperson for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust said: “The family goes above and beyond to find ways to build relationships with young people, having a home where the children feel loved, unique and special.

"Cathy has offered her wisdom and advice to newly approved foster carers, helping to support them at the beginning of their journey. The empathy and compassion the family show to everyone around them is amazing, and their positive energy rubs off on anyone they meet.”

Sharon, their social worker said: “Cathy and Jason’s attitude towards fostering and caring for children who have experienced trauma, is truly inspirational. They see the good in everyone and are keen to explore the hidden talents and strengths of all the children they have cared for.”

Foster carers from across NI came together at the weekend for the NI Foster Care Awards at the Hilton Hotel, Belfast hosted by The Fostering Network in partnership with HSC NI Foster Care.

In their 17th year, the awards recognise the pivotal role foster carers have in providing stability, love and care for children and young people in foster care. A number of HSC NI foster carers and kinship foster carers received special recognition for their outstanding contribution to fostering.

Kerrylee Weatherall, Interim Director of Children’s Community Services who represented HSC NI Foster Care at the event said: “The Northern Ireland Foster Care Awards provides an opportunity for us to celebrate the enormous contribution that all foster carers make to the lives of our children and young people. We are delighted to have so many HSC NI foster carers receiving the recognition they deserve. Their continued commitment to providing the best care and support for children and young people in foster care is quite simply inspirational, thank you to each and every one of them.

"Our foster carers are all extraordinary people, giving of themselves every day to provide a safe, loving and nurturing environment to the children and young people who need this. We hope this event goes some way to showing how much we value our carers and appreciate the work they do and the kindness they show every day.”

Kathleen Toner, Director of The Fostering Network Northern Ireland, said: “The awards are the absolute highlight of our year when we get together with people from fostering families, and fostering services, across NI to highlight the incredibly positive impact of foster care. Fostering a child can be transformational for that child and we are privileged to support more than 3,300 foster carers and kinship foster carers in Northern Ireland, who care for more than eighty percent of children in care.

"As chair of the awards panel, it is always a pleasure to meet the nominees and listen to their experiences, each one as inspiring as the next. The awards are also our opportunity to raise the public’s awareness of the importance of foster care for children in our communities and to thank all those who daily make a child feel safe, secure and loved.”

With an increase in the number of children and young people coming into care, the need for more foster carers is greater than ever. For more information Call HSC NI Foster Care on 0800 0720 137 or visit adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net