‘Any of Us’ – a powerful short film to encourage people from all backgrounds to consider becoming a foster carer for their local authority – has picked up two prestigious awards.
The fostering film won the 'Best Collaboration' and 'Best Creative Comms' categories at the comms2point0 UnAwards, which recognises excellence in public sector communications.
Haringey Council participated in the project and supported it with funding.
Shortlisted in five categories in all, the film project is a collaboration involving more than 80 council fostering teams from across the UK: some 62 named on the original submission and an impressive 87 in all who have now contributed to the production, administration and launch costs (including councils working jointly as regional fostering organisations and council-owned children’s trusts).
The film was produced by ReelTwentyFive and project managed by agency CAN Digital and fostering consultant Rachel Brown, formerly of Coventry City Council’s fostering team – who submitted the entry on behalf of all councils taking part and is the originator of the local authority fostering film concept.
The UnAwards judging panel said: "This is exactly the kind of campaign the public sector needs right now.
"It combined precious resources to secure a better chance of success for everyone who collaborated – boosted by smart targeting and a beautifully shot video.
"It just goes to show what can be achieved through our industry working together to address common challenges.
About the film – ‘Any of Us’
The message of the fostering film is “any of us can foster a child or young person, if you have the capacity to care.”
‘Any Of Us’ looks at three very different people who all show some of the attributes needed to be a foster carer in incidents from their daily lives – Ayesha going to the aid of a pedestrian after a minor road accident, Neil calming down an aggressive situation in a snooker club and Marsha identifying a young person showing signs of distress and intervening with them at school.
Different individuals in very different scenarios, but each in their own way showing the caring instinct that is fundamental to being a foster carer.
The film develops so that it becomes clear that one of these three everyday people will become the foster carer to Chloe.
But which one of the three will be the one to make the difference? The main characters' stories are all interwoven with Chloe’s, as we see her journey into fostering.
‘Any of Us’ is the fifth – and most well-supported – film in all to be produced by a growing partnership of councils and children’s trusts to promote local authority fostering.
