A ground breaking new short film highlighting the need for foster carers who can make a difference to the lives of local children - including those who can help keep brothers and sisters in care together - is being launched at a premiere in Birmingham on Wednesday 3 May.

City of Wolverhampton Council is one of 13 local authorities that worked together with Reel Twenty Five to produce 'Giants' - a 3 minute film telling the story of Jack and Ellie, a brother and sister who want to stay together when they find themselves in foster care.

Councillor Val Gibson, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: "This is an extremely moving film and really helps to get across the urgent need we have for people to come forward as foster carers, especially those who have that extra space to help keep brothers and sisters together. We sincerely hope that people who are considering taking the next step into fostering will be inspired to get in touch.

"We are fortunate that here in Wolverhampton we already have more than 200 people who are fostering local children, but we are looking to recruit at least 30 more carers this year."

The launch will be attended by invited guests from each local authority including foster carers, care leavers, councillors, chief executives and officers, as well as representatives from The Fostering Network and the cast and crew of the film, who will all see the finished film for the first time.

Following the launch, 'Giants' will be available to view online at Type=links;Linkid=8022;Title=Fostering for Wolverhampton;Target=_blank;, on the Fostering for Wolves Facebook page and on the Wolverhampton Today You Tube channel. A 30 second version will also be shown as an advert on Sky TV to households in the City of Wolverhampton.

The local authorities, who worked together to produce 'Giants' are City of Wolverhampton Council, Coventry City Council, Birmingham City Council, Solihull Council, Telford and Wrekin Council, Walsall Council, Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Sandwell Council, Worcestershire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Derby City Council and Staffordshire County Council.

The theme of 'giants' was devised to depict people who act as role models to young people in care such as their foster carers and teachers, and to highlight the strong bond between siblings as they care for each other in life and become 'giants' to each other.

The film launch has been timed to coincide with the start of Foster Care Fortnight, the UK's biggest foster carer recruitment campaign, which gets underway on Monday 8 May.

  • released: Friday 28 April, 2017