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Midlands artist joins fostered children to create art with powerful message about home

Birmingham-based Tat Vision has created a new piece of art to highlight the meaning of ‘home’, as part of a new Barnardo’s campaign to urgently recruit more foster carers. The artist crafted the piece – called ‘A place to slug out’ - using clay and paint, from a ‘found object’ purchased in a Barnardo’s charity shop.

By contributor Caroline Simpson
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A child comes into care every 20 minutes in the UK, and with the number of foster carers declining across the country, a looming fostering crisis threatens to disrupt the lives of children who need support the most. 

To raise awareness of this shocking statistic and the need for more foster carers, Tat Vision has come together with other creatives, including famed Yorkshire-based artist Eleanor Tomlinson - who created an iconic painting of Paddington Bear and Queen Elizabeth II following her death -and cared-for children across the UK for the ‘Drawn to Care’ challenge. The creative mission invited participants to create works of art with the theme ‘what home means to me’ in just 20 minutes. 

Artist Tat Vision's piece named 'A place to slug out', created for the Barnardo's Drawn to Care artwork challenge, bringing together artists and fostered children to show what home means to them
Artist Tat Vision's piece named 'A place to slug out', created for the Barnardo's Drawn to Care artwork challenge, bringing together artists and fostered children to show what home means to them

Ava, 5, drew her foster parents’ cat and dog; Matthew, who is 12, added his favourite toys, climbing ropes, food and his comfy bed to his piece; while spaghetti bolognese was the main feature of another drawing from a pre-teen. 

Brenda Farrell, Barnardo’s director of fostering, adoption, and children in care, said: “Fostering is one of the most incredible things that you can do to support a child who desperately needs it – it is rewarding, life-affirming and vital work that has been shown to improve the lives of children in care dramatically. 

Before: the 'found object' from a Barnardo's charity shop used by Tat Vision to create the 20-minute creation for Barnardo's fostering campaign
Before: the 'found object' from a Barnardo's charity shop used by Tat Vision to create the 20-minute creation for Barnardo's fostering campaign

“The fact that a child comes into care every 20 minutes in the UK just shows the urgency here – we need more people to become foster carers if we are going to give the children we support hope for the future. 

“You can contact Barnardo’s for a no-pressure chat about fostering to find out more – don’t rule yourself out. If you’ve ever considered doing it, now is the time. At Barnardo’s, we have over 100 years’ experience of fostering, so there’s truly no better team to have in your corner. 

Ava, 5, drew her foster parents’ cat and dog to show what home means to her for Barnardo's artwork challenge to raise awareness of the urgent need for foster carers across the UK
Ava, 5, drew her foster parents’ cat and dog to show what home means to her for Barnardo's artwork challenge to raise awareness of the urgent need for foster carers across the UK

“The beautifully simple things children have drawn for this campaign – comfy beds, warm meals and favourite toys – show how much a loving home means to a child.” 

As Ewan, a young person who was fostered through Barnardo’s, said to his foster parents, Lesley and Michael: “The fact you never gave up on me has meant everything.” 

To see the full collection of artwork, and to find out more about fostering with Barnardo’s, visit barnardos.org.uk

Matthew, who is 12, included his favourite toys, climbing ropes, food and his comfy in his artwork, highlighting the special things that mean 'home' to him. The drawing was created as part of a Barnardo's campaign to raise awareness of the urgent need for foster carers across the UK
Matthew, who is 12, included his favourite toys, climbing ropes, food and his comfy in his artwork, highlighting the special things that mean 'home' to him. The drawing was created as part of a Barnardo's campaign to raise awareness of the urgent need for foster carers across the UK