Let’s talk about this year’s John Lewis Christmas ad
Amazing to see John Lewis & Partners raising awareness of the incredible work of foster parents in this year's Christmas advert
There is rarely a dry eye in the room once the John Lewis Christmas advert has hit our screens. Since its 2022 offering was released earlier this week, we’re feeling it just that little bit more here at ISP. This year’s advert focuses on a normal couple, with normal accents and normal jobs, preparing for a normal Christmas. Except this year, they will be welcoming a foster child into their home for the first time.
There are so many elements to the build-up of fostering a child - whether for the first time, like #thebeginner, or for the 21st time - that John Lewis has captured so beautifully. The anticipation, the preparation, the little wins in the days before your child’s arrival.
Before a child goes to live with a new family, there is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into ensuring that child is as well-placed as possible. A crucial part of the fostering process is gathering as much information about our foster families as we possibly can, taking into account their skills, personalities and previous experience, whether that’s in fostering or otherwise.
The foster dad in this year’s ad gives us a heartwarming demonstration of going above and beyond when it comes to welcoming a foster child into your home. Our foster parents at ISP often talk about how it’s the little things that make the world of difference. Whether it’s personalising a child’s bedroom, finding out what their favourite food is, or just having a lovely, clean pair of pyjamas waiting on the bed for their first night in their new home.
Fostering really does change lives. By welcoming a child or young person into your home you:
- Can transform a child’s life for the better
- Learn new and specialist skills that help you and the children in your care
- Provide lessons and a wider family for any birth children you might have
- Build long-lasting relationships - lots of our foster families’ foster children stay in touch long after they have left care
Once a foster parent or family has been approved with ISP, we work with them to create a family book which can be given to any foster children before they arrive. This way foster children have fewer surprises and have a head start in getting to know their new family. We like to include photos of your family, pets, your foster child’s bedroom and what you like to get up to as a family - even if you’re not a clan of skateboarding professionals.
Social workers, local authorities and fostering agencies work closely together to provide as smooth and reassuring a journey for children and young people in care as possible; at ISP we take thousands of referrals from local authorities looking to place some of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young people.
Ellie, the foster child in the advert, represents one of more than 100,000 children who are currently in care in the UK and that number is continuing to rise. To John Lewis, we want to say thank you for capturing the essence of fostering so wonderfully and using your platform to elevate an issue so close to all of our hearts.
Just starting to think about fostering?
Our Introduction to Fostering guide is the perfect place to start. Download it today and discover the world of fostering.
