An award ceremony has been held to celebrate the "remarkable achievements" of foster carers and home from home carers in Slough.

On Sunday, November 26, Slough Children First hosted the Foster Carer Awards in a glamorous ceremony.

The event was held at Burnham Beeches Hotel and among the attendees was the Director of Children’s Services and Chief Executive at Slough Children First, Sue Butcher, Chairman of the Slough Children First Board Simon Baker; Balwinder Dhillon, the Deputy Mayor of Slough and MP Tan Dhesi.

Sue Butcher spoke with the foster carers and in a speech given at the ceremony said: “You embody all that is great, all that is honourable and all that is fantastic."

“I want to thank you for all that you do to love, support and care for our children and young people.

"Thank you for your resilience and patience as some days must be really challenging, it is all greatly appreciated."

Awards of appreciation were given out to foster carers and home from carers throughout the evening, including a special recognition award.

Those who had met long service milestones were also honoured in the ceremony, 

Slough MP Tan Dhesi was keen to express his gratitude for the carers and the company.

He said: "They have an incredible heart, ensuring that they too (the children placed in their care) achieve their potential in life."

“I’ve come across various instances where people have gone way above the call of duty to make the positive impact on someone else’s lives, and this is why these carers are important. You make a huge impact on our community.

“As your Member of Parliament, I am raising various issues including with carers, special educational needs and the education system to ensure that the requisite amount of funding is available.”

Organisers have thanked all attendees and those who supported the event.

Slough Children First is a company wholly owned by Slough Borough Council, providing social care and support services to children, young people and families.

It aims to continue to strengthen relationships with all of their partners to ensure that they are doing all that they can for them in order for them to thrive.

It was previously known as Slough Children’s Services Trust when it was set up in 2015 at the direction of the Department for Education, the company became Slough Children First in March 2021 when it came back under the control of the local authority.