Last night, The Duchess of Cambridge attended the awards ceremony for The Fostering Network in London hosted by television presenter Holly Willoughby.
Both Kate and Holly went to a tea party with inspirational children before the awards ceremony.
The Duchess dazzled in a blue Saloni dress while presenting the Fostering Achievement Award to three youth– Emily Bowyer, 19 from Bedford, Adam Howlett, 17, from Doncaster, and Sian Connolly, 19, from Staffordshire. She also took the time to meet with parents, social workers and others who work in the fostering world.
Rowan, 7 and Ambrose, 11 presented Kate with quilts for her children Prince George and Princess Charlotte, one with airplanes and another cream and floral. The charity has given similar quilts to thousands of foster children in the past.
Upon meeting the boys, Kate exclaimed: “My, you’ve grown since I last met,” as she last saw them in January at a tea party held by the charity.
During the tea party, Kate walked around to the tables speaking with the award winners. Some of those were the three teenagers who she later presented awards to.
Emily, who was once an elective mute being unable to eat or be in a room with people she did not know, won her award for overcoming her traumatic childhood and the progress that she has made through college- now on route to achieving her goal of becoming a paramedic.
Adam, who is autistic, was raised by his foster mother, Carol Webster since the age of three. Carol, 57 has taken between 25 and 30 babies who often have complex medical problems over the last 15 years. Adam is always there to give practical help.
“He sits there playing them. He is brilliant with them,”
“Adam has his own challenges in life and yet finds the inner strength to support other children being in a foster home and living away from home. He always has a wonderful smile and he is an excellent role model.” said Carol
The 55,000 foster families across the UK house over 64,000 children. This makes up 79% of the 81,000 children in care in Britain.
As the leading charity in the field, The Fostering Network has estimated that a further 8,370 foster families will need to be recruited in the next 12 months. Homes for siblings, teenagers and disabled children are needed most.
The foreword in the awards programme written by Kate read: “It is fantastic that we are all gathered this evening to celebrate fostering and the truly transformational care that is a lifeline to so many. The people we will hear about tonight are truly extraordinary and show how good foster care changes children and young people’s lives.”
Later presenting in front of more than 200 people, Kate addressed the audience saying: “I would just like to say how delighted I am to be with you all.
“It’s wonderful to meet so many remarkable and impressive people involved in the incredibly important world of fostering.”