A service to help recruit and train foster carers has launched in Northern Ireland.
The Regional Fostering Recruitment and Training Co-ordination Service will help health and social care trusts with advertising campaigns to recruit new foster parents and provide consistent training across the province.
Marian Hall, manager of the service, said it would help trusts share good practice on training: "We will be looking at what trusts are doing locally to see if we can develop regional training."
A helpline to support foster parents has also been launched. "If a foster carer has a problem they can talk to someone about it. It's about offering that extra level of support," said Hall.
