Sand art created at Donegal beach to mark National Fostering Awareness Month

National Fostering Awareness Month brings together foster families and children in care through a collaborative community art project

Published 8th Jun 2026, 20:32 BST Foster families came together to create sand art at Marble Hill Beach | Tusla National Fostering Awareness Month brings together foster families and children in care through a collaborative community art project Sign up to our Donegal Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Donegal Live within your account.

Tusla foster families from across Donegal came together to create a colossal piece of sand art at Marble Hill Beach to mark National Fostering Awareness Month.

Sean Corcoran, a visual artist, worked with families, children and the local community to create the impressive, unique piece of sand art depicting a huge tree with many branches and leaves, symbolising the collective strength of the Donegal fostering community. The huge, finished piece was a site to behold for all visitors to the area.

Tusla The centre heart-shaped motif represents the new Tusla Fostering logo, which was surrounded by leaves etched in the sand - highlighting that every single connection we make helps a child deepen their roots.

The sand art piece complements the special “National Forest of Care” initiative, part of National Fostering Awareness Month, which brings together foster families and children in care through a collaborative community art project. The sand art reflects this through a thousand leaves representing the community of care and a reminder that, when a child is nourished in the right environment, it flourishes and grows.

National Fostering Awareness Month is an essential campaign throughout June by Tusla Fostering, Ireland’s fostering agency. The campaign raises awareness about the ongoing need for foster carers in communities across Ireland and how rewarding it is to foster a child, with a renewed appeal for more local people to consider becoming foster carers.

Ireland is among the world leaders in foster care, and at the end of March 2026, there were 5,822 children in care in Ireland, with 5,064 - 87% - living with foster families. Nationally, the number of new foster carers has increased year-on-year over the past three years, totalling 606 since 2023.

While fostering services continue to experience natural annual turnover, consistent with international trends, Tusla Fostering says the gap between foster carers leaving the service and new foster carers joining is continuing to narrow nationally.

Tusla is Ireland’s statutory provider of fostering services to children | Tusla Speaking about National Fostering Awareness Month, Tusla National Lead for Foster Care Jacqueline Smyth commented: “Foster carers make an enormous difference in the lives of children and young people in communities across Donegal. We know there are many people who could foster but often rule themselves out because of myths and misconceptions around who can foster.

“Many people believe they are too old, need to own their own home, or need to be married before they can foster. Some people also believe that foster carers are only required in cities and large towns and not in rural areas. In reality, foster carers come from urban and rural areas, from different backgrounds and family types. Tusla Fostering has many different and wonderful foster carers, all taking care of different and wonderful children”.

“There is no upper age limit for fostering, and foster families can include: single people; same sex couples; lone parents; blended families; job seekers and people who do not own their own home. Tusla Fostering says this diversity is vital in meeting the needs of children and young people in care.

“Diversity is essential because different children need different types of family environments and supports. National Fostering Awareness Month is about opening the conversation, challenging myths, and helping people understand that they may already have the qualities needed to make a life-changing difference for a child,” said Jacqueline Smyth.

National Fostering Awareness Month aims to encourage more people to consider fostering and to challenge outdated assumptions around eligibility. It includes an advertising campaign with the tagline “Start with a conversation.’ The campaign runs throughout June with public awareness events, information campaigns, foster care stories and community engagement activities, such as this event in Donegal.

For more information about fostering, visit the website or freephone 1800 226 771.

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