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"Fostering has given us a new meaning as parents." This is the testimony of Miquel Vidal, foster father. With his partner they have two biological children and nine years ago they also took in two brothers, who were three years old and one and a half years old at the time. Miquel relates his personal experience: “You understand that it is not you who needs or has the right to have a child, but rather it is the boy or girl who needs a family and you let go of the feeling of belonging. You accept that your task is to accompany them.”
The Generalitat launches the “Acollir és fer família” campaign in which more testimonies like Miquel's can be heard. The objective is to bring the reality of foster care closer to citizens, help clarify fears and doubts that may exist and encourage more families to do so. Currently, some 2,000 children and adolescents live in centers or institutions supervised by the Generalitat, due to a vulnerable family situation that temporarily prevents their family of origin from taking care of them. They are centers where they are well cared for, but “the ideal thing for a child is to grow up within a family,” says the Minister of Social Rights, Carles Campuzano i Canadés.
Paula Gutiérrez is twenty years old. She was fostered when she was seven: “For me, my foster parents are my parents, although I have contact with my biological mother.” "I have been very lucky and had a lot of psychological help," acknowledges Paula, who studies Social Education at the university because she wants to help children with situations similar to those she has experienced.
Both Miquel and Paula offered their testimony at the presentation of the campaign in Barcelona on October 5. "Acollir és fer família" will be presented in several cities in Catalonia until December 12. The next presentation will be made in Tarragona on October 24; the next day, the 25th, in Girona; On November 7 the campaign will arrive in El Vendrell; in Lleida, on November 14; in La Seu d'Urgell, on the 21st, and in Amposta on the 28th of the same month. Finally, it will land in Manresa on December 12.
The Government has also designed glasses and lunchboxes that have phrases printed on them such as, for example, 'Welcoming is toasting on birthdays' or 'Welcoming is sharing meals' to promote welcome. The glasses and lunch boxes are distributed among those attending events organized as part of the campaign.
So that the message reaches even more people, the Department of Social Rights has an advertisement that will be broadcast on television, as well as a radio spot and several posters that can be seen in the media and on advertising supports on the street.
Fostering with someone else's family is an altruistic gesture that provides an environment of security, affection and care for a child. It is a temporary measure and an alternative to shelters. The child or adolescent needs to live separately from her family of origin for a certain period of time, while the latter resolves the problems that prevent him or her from taking care of hers.
Families receive a benefit to cover the expenses generated by fostering the child, depending on their age and needs. There are different types of foster care, depending on the length of time it is estimated to last.
Currently, in Catalonia there are 783 foster families and 937 foster children and adolescents. In addition, there are 139 collaborating families that welcome 150 children. The balance is positive but insufficient because there are still two thousand minors sheltered in centers that could be sheltered.
The head of Drets Socials highlights that "we need more welcoming families" and adds that "we are convinced that the country needs to take a leap forward in this matter", and that the entire associative fabric must be involved in this cause.
Drets Socials has also approved increasing the Respir supplement, which goes from 60 to 90 or 120 euros, depending on the type of reception.
This aid aims to guarantee that the foster child or adolescent can enjoy leisure activities and also alleviate the care and attention work provided by the foster family. This is in addition to the 32% increase in the benefit for foster families that the Government already approved in March.
