Britain needs more foster carers – it’s time to dispel myths about who can apply

On Sunday 19 June, we mark Father’s Day: a joyous occasion for so many to celebrate those who play a paternal role. However, Father’s Day can also be a painful reminder for people who are not part of a “traditional family”, including children in care.

It can be difficult to comprehend that there are increasing numbers 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 UK care system.

This Father’s Day, we’d like to call on your readers to celebrate and thank those who 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 putting themselves forward. 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 Britain 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.

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

Martin Leitch

Head of Fostering Operations, Five Rivers Child Care

There have been a number of articles about Johnny Depp and his court concerns, but the story about his curry night doesn’t help his image. It was reported that he had a meal out with a dozen or so friends which does seem a pleasant evening but the restaurant with 240 reservations was closed to others for his £50,000 meal.

A quick google check of the Varanasi restaurant in Birmingham shows that they have very nice private rooms that would sit at least 12 people. Why was it necessary to boot out up to 240 groups of people who might have been celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or even first dates?

How many people could have been fed for £49,000, leaving £1,000 which would certainly feed me and a dozen friends very well? The normal person should have the same opportunities, rights and curries as the wealthy.

Dennis Fitzgerald

Melbourne, Australia

Only 148 Conservative MPs were willing to vote in opposition to Boris Johnson. Of the other 211, some may seriously believe that he is a good leader.

Some may consider that supporting him is the best plan for their career. Others may think that keeping him as leader is currently the best thing for their party. It’s even possible (though difficult for many of us to imagine) that some may have cast their vote for the sake of the country. Whatever the cause, they have enabled him to carry on, at least for a while.

Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May in similar circumstances eventually resigned. Johnson will not do that – it’s not in his nature. And his nature is the fundamental problem. He has demonstrated mendacity, ignorance, lack of empathy, incompetence and self-obsession. But he can be persuasive and charming when he chooses.

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All these are the attributes of an overgrown schoolboy. It can’t be in anyone’s best interests to allow such a flawed character to continue in office. But until the scales fall from the eyes of enough Tory MPs the rest of us are helpless.

Susan Alexander

South Gloucestershire

I think it is very obvious that Boris Johnson will have extreme difficulty leading Britain and should step down.

His obsession with the Ukraine conflict and creating endless sanctions against Russia is, in my opinion, provoking a third world war and damaging western economies – including Britain’s.

Leaders who are easily distracted from their nation’s domestic problems by the problems of other nations are just not good leaders.

Dr Michael Pravica

Address supplied