Five Rivers Fostering Ireland

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Five Rivers Fostering Ireland

Ireland's first independent fostering agency, operating as a social enterprise since 2002.

04/11/2026

November is off to a flying start! ⚽🍂

This month’s calendar artwork was created by the fantastic children in our foster families, with goalposts, pom-poms and plenty of team spirit.

We love seeing their drawings take pride of place in our calendar. A big thank you to our young artists for sharing their creativity with us! 🧡

03/11/2026

☕ Coffee Morning — Dundalk

Thursday 5th November · 10.30am · Ballymascanlon, Dundalk

The kettle’s on! Join us for a relaxed morning of good food, great company and plenty of chat. Our social work and social care teams will be on hand to host, catch up and answer any questions you might have.

Whether you’re a familiar face or joining us for the first time, you’re very welcome. We’d love to see our newly approved carers, our EPS & Respite carers and our male carers come along and complete the group. 🧡

For all the details, just get in touch with your link worker. Looking forward to seeing you there!

02/11/2026

Our DIY Skills Workshop for teens is nearly here!

Calling all our young people aged 15+- this one’s for you. We’ve teamed up with the Irish School of DIY for a fun, hands-on day learning the practical skills that set you up for independent life, from safely using tools to tackling the everyday repairs and projects you’ll meet down the road.

📅 Saturday 21st November
🕥 10.30am – 4.30pm
📍 Brigid’s Community Centre, Blanchardstown Village, D15 YY61
🍽️ Lunch provided · Spaces limited to around 15

What you’ll get out of the day:
🔧 Hands-on practice with common hand and power tools (used safely!)
🏠 Real DIY and independence skills for the home
💪 More confidence tackling household tasks
🎯 A chance to chat future goals and learn about trades and apprenticeships

Open to all our young people, those with care experience and those who foster. It’s co-facilitated by our own Social Care team alongside the Irish School of DIY, so you’ll be in great hands.

👉 Thinking of coming? Let Dermot know by TOMORROW, Tuesday 3rd November. Contact Dermot Fagan, Social Care Leader (Dublin Office).

Don’t miss it! 🧡,

31/10/2026

Happy Halloween from all of us at Five Rivers Fostering! 🎃👻

To all our foster families and the children and young people in your care, we hope tonight is full of brilliant costumes, more sweets than anyone needs, and maybe a bit of barmbrack if you’re brave enough to go looking for the ring. 💍

Whether you’re out trick or treating around the estate or tucked up at home with a scary film, have a spooktacular night. 🧡

30/10/2026

Fostering on your own doesn’t mean doing it on your own. 💛

In this video, Donna shares what it’s been like to foster as a single carer with Five Rivers. She talks about having a link worker she can go to with any question, big or small, and knowing there’s a support line there 24 hours a day if she needs it.

Some of her biggest support has come from the other carers she met on her training weekend in Carlow. They’ve since become close friends, and as Donna puts it, almost like a second family.

Fostering can be complex at times, and it can also fill your cup completely. Having people around who get that makes all the difference.

If you’re single and thinking about fostering, we’d love to hear from you. Ask us anything, there’s no such thing as a silly question. Find out more at fiveriversfostering.ie

29/10/2026

.ie Care Award recipient Noreen Healy, foster carer with Five Rivers speaks about how a plaque she has up in her home that says “Don’t try and understand me, just love me” sums up her and her family’s approach to fostering ❤️

28/10/2026

Did you know there’s more than one way to foster? 💛

Short-term fostering means caring for a child while plans are being made for their future.

Long-term fostering is about giving a child ongoing care and stability, and a place where they can settle and grow up.

Emergency fostering means opening your home to a child who needs somewhere safe at very short notice.

Each one asks something a little different of you, but the child’s needs are always at the centre of it.

If you’re wondering which might suit you and your family, our team would be glad to talk it through with you. You can find out more at fiveriversfostering.ie

27/10/2026

For a child who can’t live with their birth family right now, it can be the simple things that matter most. A safe place to come home to, and someone who keeps showing up for them. 💛

That’s what fostering is. It’s giving a child stability, patience and care, while helping them stay connected to the people and relationships that are important to them.

No two children’s stories are the same, and fostering starts with taking the time to understand theirs.

If you’ve ever wondered about fostering, we’d love to have a chat. DM our team today.

23/10/2026

Yesterday was the first IMAGE Mother Awards .ie, and it was a very special day. As host Dominique McMullan so beautifully put it, it's a privilege to shine a light on people who spend their lives giving and sacrificing without a second thought, and often without recognition.

One of our amazing carers, Noreen Healy, was one of those special people and the winner of the Care Award. Noreen and her husband Jackie are our longest active fosters and are still fostering today, 23 years later.

There is a sign up in Noreen’s house that says, “Don’t try to understand me, just love me”. She accepts every single child and their individuality and meets them where they are at.

When asked how she does what she does, she has said, “If I had my life to live all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. We know we have made an amazing difference now when we see them now that they are adults, we know we have done something powerful for them”.

Noreen, a huge congratulations from all of us at Five Rivers!

21/10/2026

We’re so proud to share that our foster carer Noreen is a finalist in the IMAGE Mother Awards 2026 in the Care Award category today! 💛

Back in 2002, Noreen opened the newspaper, saw an ad looking for foster carers and turned to her husband Jackie: “We could do that!”

24 years later, Noreen and Jackie are our longest-serving active foster carers. Alongside raising 7 children of their own (and welcoming 9 grandchildren), they have opened their home to more than 150 children. They have provided respite, emergency, sibling, short-term and long-term fostering, whatever was needed.

A sign in Noreen’s kitchen reads: “Don’t try to understand me, just love me.” That’s exactly how she fosters. She gives every child time, acceptance and a real place in the family. They come everywhere with them, and many are still in their lives today.

Ask Noreen about any of it and she’ll just say, “I am only minding them.”

At 73, her only regret? “I wish I was young enough to start fostering all over again!”

Noreen, you are one of life’s gems. Thank you for everything you do. 💛

Address

Unit 4, Block 8, Corporate Business Park 1, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Dublin

Telephone

+35318665290

Website

http://www.fiveriversfostering.ie/

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