Foster Care Fortnight 2025 - The Power of Relationships
As part of Foster Care Fortnight, we are hosting a number of drop ins for anyone interested in fostering. Come along and meet with staff and foster carers, for a cup of tea, biscuits and hear about fostering and the assessment process
When: 14th May 2025
Where: Westburn Resource Centre, 116 Westburn Road, Aberdeen AB25 2QA
Time: 4.00pm till 7pm
When: 19th May 2025
Where: Kaimhill Learning Centre, Pitmedden Terrace, AB10 7HR
Time: 4.00pm till 7pm
When: 22nd May 2025
Where: Seaton Community Centre
Time: 4.00pm till 7pm
Shona, who has been a Foster Carer for over 20 years, said -
‘The most wonderful thing about fostering is, although you may be opening your home to a child for just one night or many years, the relationships you build can last a lifetime.
Foster care is all about connection —offering those who come to stay safety, stability and, most importantly, love and understanding during some of their most vulnerable times.
Each and every child we have looked after has added to our family - their experiences and remarkable resilience helping us all to learn and grow. Nothing makes me happier than our foster children coming back to visit or stay- a Sunday dinner with 9-10 of us round the table, wonderful when the chat and laughter is so loud you can’t hear yourself speak. I love most that children who have stayed with us speak about each other as sisters and brothers - including others who weren’t living in our house at the same time as they did. They have a shared experience and a fierce loyalty and care for each other that makes me so proud.
One of our children once spoke about a brother who’d moved around placements elsewhere asking, “but where will he go for Christmas dinner” and the question was so much more than about Christmas. What it really meant was who and where do you go to when you need family - for hard times, for advice, for belonging and love - we’d hope all those who live with us know our house is that place.
Fostering is a shared journey full of challenge, possibility, hope and heart. We’ve been so lucky and privileged to have so many wonderful relationships that have brought so much joy and love.'
Foster Carer/Kinship Carer Mind of My Own Training
Foster/Kinship Carer training sessions on offer which are in webinar format and will explain what Mind Of My Own is and how carers can support their young people with the app.
Tuesday 13th May 6:30pm - 7:30pm - Express - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nLadBARDRy-y748wPr20eg
Monday 19th May 10:30am - 11:30am -Express - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_e9Vlg1fWRDW1B-51iJMj3Q
Tuesday 20th May 6:30pm - 7:30pm - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PGDsYVj6SpeDbyE1dEjWRQ
To learn more about the Mind of My Own App please see -
Adoption Open Evening
16th April 2025
The Annex at Aberdeen Grammar School, AB10 1HT (Whitehall Place entrance)
If you have been thinking about adoption, there is no time like the present, get in touch with our team for more information or for an informal chat.
Tel: 01224 067604 or contact adoptfostrecruitment@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Come along to our open evening to meet the Adoption Team and have an opportunity to ask any questions!
Mind of My Own Community
Did you know Mind of My Own have a community with an opportunity for professionals, carers and young people to engage in?
Carer Support:
Tuesday 18th March 6:30pm - 7:30pm * Kinship Care Week* https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HmFesI_WRyC438Zh_3NgjQ
Monday 24th March 10:30am - 11:30am https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VvakNvMxQjGez8LUwJzPKA
Tuesday 25th March 6:30pm - 7:30pm https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H9trxmSiTeWlKIUM9ncT6A
Fostering Recruitment Drop In Session
Thursday 30th January 2025 - 4.30pm till 7pm
Where: Westburn Resource Centre, 116 Westburn Road, Aberdeen AB25 2QA
What: Come along and meet with staff and foster carers, for a cup of tea, biscuits and hear about fostering and the assessment process
Mind of My Own - Scottish Foster and Kinship Carers training
Tuesday November 5th 2024 - 6.30pm - 7.30pm
A virtual session dedicated to Foster & Kinship Carers using Mind Of My Own.
Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xV0jmGPiTKSB8Ihe8Rhy1Q
Find out more about Mind of My Own here - Home - Mind Of My Own
Aberdeen Voice of Our Own
Wednesday 23rd October - Time: 4pm - 5pm
To celebrate Care Experience Week Mind of My Own are hosting a session online specifically for those living out with the city. This is a fantastic opportunity to introduce the app to children or young people who live out of Aberdeen. This session can be supported by carers or professionals around the young person. The sessions details are:
Join Here: https://www.mybestlife.org.uk/voiceofourown/events/920
Care Experience Week 2024 - Connection and Belonging Event
Tuesday 22 October 2024 - 11:00 - 2:30
Westburn Resource Centre
116 Westburn Road
Aberdeen
AB25 2QA
We will provide lunch and some fun activities 
Please email to let us know you are coming: YoungPersonsRights@aberdeencity.gov.uk
Education Pathway Pilot Project
20 May 2024
I’d like to share with you the details of a pilot project that Adoption UK are currently offering. Education Pathway has been fully funded until 2025 to support children and young people, who are adopted or in kinship care, and are struggling to access education in school.
At present there is no waiting list for this service.
Education Pathway is a wholistic therapeutic intervention which can offer:
- Reflective consultations for family and school staff with the Education Pathway Psychologist (including follow up written report).
- Peer support for the family over 4 – 6 months.
- Therapeutic support for young people aged 13+ which takes place online.
For more information please see -
To self refer a child please use -
If you would like more information, please contact the Education PATH Co-ordinator at educationpathway@adoptionuk.org.uk.
Bright Spots - Thank you!
A huge ‘Thank you!’ to all who have encouraged and supported our children and young people in care and care leavers to respond to the Bright Spots survey and share their views on their wellbeing!
Please see Bright Spots - Thank you! | Aberdeen City Council for information about the response rates and what happens next.
Care Day and Bright Spots Launch Event
Friday 16th February marked International Care Day. It is the world's biggest celebration of anyone who has been or is currently in care. The day is an opportunity to celebrate those with care experience and challenge the stigma that can be faced by the community.
This year in Aberdeen we had a celebratory event, in 116 Westburn Road, for those with experience of care, their carers and workers to come along to have fun with e.g. craft making, taster yoga, performing Rap Music, meet and draw with an illustrator and have a bite to eat and drink.
As well as the above Celebration, we launched our Bright Spots Research Programme.
Find out more about what this means for Carers here - Bright Spots Project | Aberdeen City Council.
You can also find out more about what this means for children and young people here -
Bright Spots - Your Life, Your Care | Aberdeen City Council for children and young people in care aged 4 to 18.
Bright Spots - Your Life Beyond Care | Aberdeen City Council for care leavers age 16 to 26.