Tusla – Child and Family Agency is “thrilled and proud” with the news today that its Tusla Fostering Garden has won the People’s Choice Award at Bord Bia Bloom 2024.
The Tusla Fostering Garden - ‘Together We Grow’ - is a celebration of Tusla foster carers, the work they do and the children and young people who have blossomed in their care. Designed by Robert Moore, with input from foster carers and young people, the garden is a magical space with flowing movement, delicate structure and naturalistic planting, illustrating a safe and caring environment where young people can flourish and reach their full potential.
Commenting on the win, Tusla CEO Kate Duggan said, “As we mark the start of Fostering Awareness Month, we are thrilled and proud to receive the People’s Choice Award at Bord Bia Bloom 2024 for our Tusla Fostering Garden. We offer our congratulations to our gardendesigner Robert Moore, and the foster carers and young people who collaborated with Robert on the garden design, including the touching messages by carers and children alike that hang on trees in our garden. We are delighted that the garden has resonated with the public and we thank everyone who voted for it”.
“Fostering Awareness Month continues for the month of June. We hope that winning the People’s Choice Award will further shine a light on this essential campaign for raising awareness about the ongoing need for foster carers and how Tusla Fostering supports and works in partnership with its foster carers to achieve the best outcomes for foster children. It is particularly delightful to receive this public vote as Tusla celebrates its 10th anniversary and we mark a decade of working to enhance the safety, wellbeing, and outcomes for children in Ireland”, added Kate Duggan.
Jacqueline Smyth, National Foster Care Lead, Tusla said Tusla foster carers come from all walks of life.
"This includes those in same-sex relationships, Travellers, non-Irish nationalities, people from different faiths and beliefs, who have a disability, jobseekers, renters, single people, people who are over 40 years old, and couples who work fulltime. I see this public vote is an endorsement of the incredible and instrumental work our foster carers do in changing the lives of children. The award is as much about the work they do as the gardenitself.”
Tusla foster cares are an essential component of Tusla’s alternative care system, with 89% of children in care living in a foster placement. Ireland is among world leaders in foster care, and across Ireland 3,874 foster carers currently open their homes to 5,042 children.
Fostering Awareness Month will see a host of events activities taking place throughout June, including in-person and online information sessions. Further information is available on www.fostering.ie
