Letter to the editor: Celebrating those who play a paternal role in children’s lives this Father’s Day

This month, we celebrate Father’s Day: a joyous day for so many celebrating those who play a paternal role. However, Father’s Day can also be a painful reminder for people across Exeter who are not part of a ‘traditional family’, including children in care. 

It can be difficult to comprehend that there is an increasing number of children coming into foster care, with over 80,850 children currently looked after away from home in England alone.

Yet despite seeing how quickly our country can rally to help those most in need, and with the media’s backing, many are unaware of the desperate shortage of foster carers needed to keep up with the growing numbers of children entering the country’s care system. 

This Father’s Day, we’d like to call on your readers across Exeter to celebrate and thank those that take on non-traditional parenting roles, those who foster, adopt, and look after children and young people in care. Many of whom are men, playing an important paternal role in children's lives. 

There are several myths around fostering which can stop men from considering fostering. These include the belief that single men can’t foster, you must have your own children, you can’t be in a same sex relationship, and you must be a homeowner, all of which are simply not true. 

Whilst people across Exeter are opening their doors to people in need, we’d also like them to reflect on whether they could offer a safe home to a child in care. Five Rivers Child Care welcomes anyone interested in exploring fostering, to get in touch with any questions, on 01392 338 674.

Hopefully this gives you something to think about this Father’s Day.

Martin Leitch

Head of Fostering Operations, Five Rivers Child Care