Welcoming The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation!

We recently teamed up with Doreen Lawrence OBE, founder of the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation to deliver an equality and diversity forum for our Foster Carers and staff, to honour our commitment to inclusivity.

During a keynote presentation and Q&A, Baroness Lawrence discussed how she has helped engage people who might hold different views, and shared how she has overcome adversity and shaped the world we live in.

Our Regional Operations Manager and Equality and Diversity Officer, Leila Stroud, said:

“George Floyd’s murder brought the Black Lives Matter movement to the forefront of people’s minds globally, prompting many companies, including Blue Sky, to issue a position statement. Keen to not lose momentum in challenging racism, and promoting diversity and inclusion as a whole, Blue Sky launched a working group of staff and carers. The aim of this group is to ensure we are inclusive, welcoming and challenging for our staff, carers, children and wider communities.

“As an LGBT+ member of staff, diversity and representation are important to me. I want to work somewhere I feel included, and where our differences are appreciated, celebrated and all staff, carers and young people are safe from harassment. The Diversity Forum is one way in which Blue Sky aim to do this, providing a platform for people within the LGBT+ community as well as other minorities to discuss what changes could and should take place.”

The Director of Blue Sky Fostering, Amanda Mills, said:

“At Blue Sky Fostering, we want all our children and young people, our families and our colleagues to work together to ensure children have a safe and happy childhood. However, we know that children and families from black, Asian and minority backgrounds face greater challenges in their childhoods and life chances.

“To address this inequity, we work hard directly with these children and families to provide a full range of opportunities and support into adulthood and beyond. We do this for all our children and families, but it is crucial for those who face racism and prejudice.”

We are always looking for a diverse range of Foster Carers to meet the needs of the rising number of young people needing a foster family.