Dee Wok the Bear from the Dundee club and Terry the Terrors, the mascot of Dundee United, helped Side by Side, the partnership between the council and the charity, distribute leaflets in the city centre to boost its bid to recruit more foster carers.
The new service will provide a range of full-time foster placements for children with additional support needs. Side by Side has been offering family-based short break care to children with disabilities in Dundee since 1985, giving children the opportunity to learn, have new experiences and become independent, while providing their families with a much-needed break from caring for them.
Currently, there are 168 children and young people in Dundee who are being fostered on a full-time basis and about 20 per cent of them have additional support needs, such as learning disabilities
Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo's Scotland, said full-time fostering placements were urgently needed but “hard to find”, particularly for children who have additional needs. He added: “We hope that foster carers with Side by Side will be able to provide a long term, stable, loving environment for children and young people.”
