07/10/2025
Foster carers from across Northern Ireland came together at the weekend for the Northern Ireland Foster Care Awards at the Dunadry Hotel, Antrim hosted by The Fostering Network in partnership with HSC NI Foster Care.
In their nineteenth year, the awards recognise the pivotal role foster carers have in providing stability, love and care for children and young people in foster care. A number of HSC NI foster carers and kinship foster carers received special recognition for their outstanding contribution to fostering.
Kerrylee Weatherall, Director of Children’s Community Services who spoke on behalf of HSC NI Foster Care at the event said:
“The NI Foster Care Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our fostering community and recognise the outstanding contribution that foster carers make to the lives of children and young people. I am so proud of the dedication, resilience and compassion HSC NI foster carers show each and every day.
Foster carers quite simply transform lives. They support and encourage our children/young people in everything they do, offering a safe and nurturing home environment where children/young people can develop, thrive and reach their goals in life. We hope this event goes some way to showing foster carers how much we value them.”
Kathleen Toner, Director of The Fostering Network Northern Ireland, said:
“It is a true honour to be able to recognise these incredible foster carers and kinship carers in this way. Every winner has gone above and beyond for the children and young people in their care, and I hope they are really proud of themselves.
Being foster carers and kinship carers isn’t always easy, it’s a 24-hour job, so I would like to say thank you to the winners, and all foster and kinship carers, for their hard work and dedication. You are an integral part of our fostering communities and we are so grateful for the work you do.”
Bernie and Raymond Tracey, HSC NI foster carers from the Western area, received a Lifetime Achievement Award. The couple have provided loving homes to 46 children while raising their own three sons. Their kindness and commitment shine through every child they have cared for, including one young man who joined them at age three and still lives with them at 28.
Currently caring for two teenage boys, they have shown extraordinary compassion – especially supporting one child through the loss of his mother. They facilitated hospital visits, attended her funeral, and continue to honour her memory through visits to her grave and celebrating milestones.
Though unable to care for all six siblings, Bernie and Raymond go out of their way to maintain family connections, organising visits and planning a summer reunion. Their dedication to identity, belonging, and emotional support is unwavering.
Bernie and Raymond’s lifelong commitment to fostering has transformed lives and created lasting bonds. They truly embody the heart of foster care and said: “It has been an amazing journey and part of our lives, we can’t imagine us without any foster children and the joy they bring.”
The need for more foster carers in Northern Ireland is greater than ever. For more information Call HSC NI Foster Care on 0800 0720 137 or visit adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net to see how you can get involved.