Shoppers in Aberdeen’s Union Square got the chance at the weekend to learn more about fostering a child.
Children’s charity Barnardo’s created an information stand on the ground floor of the busy shopping mall where passers-by could stop and have their questions on fostering answered by experts.
There was also a giant friendly T-Rex at hand to play with children and a number of pony cycles for little ones to ride.
Kim McPherson, operational manager of Fostering North for Barnardo’s Scotland, said she was pleased with how the event went.
She added: “We’re trying to raise awareness of fostering and adoption in the local area.
“In 2014 the Scottish Government took a survey and there were 247 children in Aberdeen that needed to be fostered that year.
“During that same period, we only made 35 placements and that meant a great deal of those kids had to leave their families and leave their schools.
“We are trying to keep children in our community.”
There was also a “heart gallery” entitled Children Who Wait on display which showcased artwork by children in foster care.
Depicting their experiences, some stories were told in words while others were portrayed entirely in pictures.
Ms McPherson added: “The heart gallery has drawings and statements from kids who are fostered telling us what it is like for them.
“Some talk about the really positive things like how their life has changed because people have given them a home.
“Some also talk about the difficulties and the uncertainties about being someplace, but not knowing if that will be forever and having to move and what they lose every time they move.”
Carina Eloff, 32, of Balmedie and her son Phillip, 6, were among the visitors to the shopping hotspot yesterday.
She said: “We came to see the dinosaur and what it’s all about.
“I think it’s a fun activity for children to do and something different.
“I think fostering is a brilliant idea and I think more people should think about it.
“We wouldn’t [get involved in fostering] currently, because we have a little one, but maybe we’ll think about it in the future.”