Fostering a child is a great responsibility and can be quite challenging, so it is great when your hard work is recognised.

Lancashire’s fostering service has been given the ultimate accolade by Ofsted and judged as outstanding.

The service, which is responsible for placing hundreds of looked after children with foster carers in the county – is Outstanding, according to the Ofsted report.

The Ofsted inspection was carried out just after the Evening Post launched its fostering campaign to urge 1,000 new enquiries from foster carers within six months.

The campaign was launched on October 3 and has already almost hit its goal with around 948 new telephone and online enquiries since the start of the campaign.

Ofsted inspectors were shown cuttings of the Evening Post campaign and were impressed.

County Coun Geoff Driver, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “I could not be more pleased about this judgement – it is so well deserved.

The accolade is especially well received by the fostering service as it was judged ‘unsatisfactory’ and the foster carers showed a lot of commitment to improve their performance since the last review four years ago, amid cost cutting measures as well.

County Coun Susie Charles, cabinet member for children and schools, said: “Surely fostering is one of the most important roles any local authority can carry out. It is our chance to enter the life of a child in need and help turn things around. I know we have a fostering service which is second to none. Now the rest of the world knows it too.”

This article was written whilst researching Dublin foster care.