People in Dorset are being encouraged to help children find a happy home through fostering.

England faces a national shortage of foster carers, with an estimated shortfall of some 9,000 carers for young people in need.

Now independent Dorset-based agency Footprints is calling on kind-hearted families to consider the role.

A spokesperson for the company said fostering can yield a raft of benefits for the families – and children – involved.

“Whether you have considered fostering before, or it is a new idea, becoming a foster carer can yield many benefits financially, but also with the intrinsic reward of seeing a young person grow and develop in your care,” they said.

“Sometimes, birth families are unable to provide a safe home for their own children or young person and through no fault of their own, these young people will fall into the care system, where they can be provided some safety and security.

“Once becoming a carer, the rewards are plenty. It is common for carers to feel a great sense of pride and reward seeing a young person grow and develop, overcoming certain milestones. This could include achieving a high percentage of school attendance, which they may have always struggled to achieve, or seeing a child follow a routine of regular mealtimes and bedtimes, all things that may not have been possible in their previous living situations.

Carers can bring a lot of joy to a child’s life, giving them a whole new life experience. For some, this may be as simple as a trip to the beach to feel the sand between their toes and smell the blustering sea breeze for the very first time.

Footprints provides the highest level of care to local children and young people by providing carers with the highest level of training and an excellent support package.

“There is always someone to talk to at Footprints,” the spokesperson added.

“We are proud to celebrate 10 years of service, helping carers develop and provide outstanding care enabling children to go on and achieve in school, college, and workplaces, gain apprenticeships, and in some cases continue onto university.”

Anyone interested in finding out more about fostering can contact the Footprints team on 01202 573408.