At the launch of the National Conference of the Irish Foster Care Association. Photo: Michael Donnelly.Country and Western singer Robert Mizzell spoke about the wonderful effects foster care had on his life when he launched the national conference of the Irish Foster Care Association in the Castlecourt Hotel last week.
The conference, due to be attended by several hundred delegates, takes place in Westport from November 5 to 7.
Robert's foster mother, 'Mama Courtney', fostered over 30 children, giving them all a great start in life.
He said children raised in residential care could never compare to being brought up in a foster home. Family interaction is a vital part of foster care, and while he himself at the moment could not foster due to his lifestyle as a singer, he hoped his daughter would become a foster parent when she was older.
Robert also said that from his experience the most thing children needed was routine and to know that when the came home there would be meals at mealtime.
The launch was attended by Alice Parkinson, chairperson of the board of the Irish Foster Care Association, and Mr. Paul Murphy, child care manager, Mayo, HSE.
Some of the workshop presenters for the conference were also in attendance including Antoin Boyd, senior education psychologist for Mayo Community Care, Finn McCarthy and Claire Riordan, HSE West PCCC psychologists, Mags Gallagher, aftercare worker on the children in care team, and Derval Dunford who will present a workshop in Sui mindfulness meditation and relaxation
The cathaoirleach of Westport Town Council, Councillor Tereasa McGuire, also attended, as did Noreen Kelleher from Co. Leitrim, regional representative on the IFCA board, along with a large number of foster carers from the Mayo branch.
A branch meeting afterwards was addressed by Alice Parkinson and Noreen Kelleher, who spoke about her role in the association.
The event also marked the launch of the branch website, www.mayofostercare.ie, which will carry further information on the conference.