Care Day celebrated

Children across with care experience recently came together for a day of fun, fancy dress and festivities.

It was all to mark National Care Day 2024 which is acknowledged across the world as a day to celebrate the positive experiences and contributions of children and young people in care or with care experience.

Organised by Tusla in Cork, the theme of this year’s event which took place in the Metropole Hotel on 16 February was ‘I am what I choose to become’.

A spokesperson for Tusla said the theme was all about “encouraging children in care to aim high, dream big, and reach for their goals.”

They added: “All children and adults alike were invited to attend a family fun day in fancy dress to acknowledge and celebrate our wonderful care community in Cork. Spiderman, Batman, every princess you can imagine and even a werewolf were amongst some of the characters enjoying the treats, the music and the facepainting in the company of both the Lord Mayor of Cork

Cllr Kieran McCarthy and three-time Irish Olympian Brendan Boyce. Cllr McCarthy gave an inspiring speech and then treated the crowd to a beautiful rendition of ‘Smile’.”

Leading sportspeople and local celebrities sent video greetings wishing the children of Cork well on Care Day 2024. In keeping with the sentiment of the day, each child was gifted a Care Bear to enjoy and acknowledge their participation in Care Day 2024.

“Currently there are 450 families who foster in Cork. Tusla holds monthly online information sessions for anyone interested in becoming a foster carer. To register or to find out more information about fostering, visit fostering.ie, call freephone 1800-226771 or email tusla.fostering@tusla.ie,” added the spokesperson.