South Asian Heritage Month: Supporting Identity in foster care

18 July – 17 August is South Asian Heritage Month — a time to celebrate the culture, history and contributions of South Asian communities across the UK. At Nexus Fostering, we see this month as a valuable chance to recognise the children, carers and colleagues in our fostering family who are part of these communities.

It’s also a time to think about how we support children from all backgrounds — and why understanding identity and heritage is so important in foster care.

Why culture and identity matter

When a child comes into foster care, they’re already going through a huge change. Helping them feel safe and accepted starts with recognising who they are. That includes their background, their traditions, and their way of life.

If a child is South Asian — whether from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Nepali, Afghan or other heritage — their culture is part of who they are. Celebrating this helps them feel proud of their identity, which in turn builds confidence and emotional wellbeing.

Something as simple as cooking familiar food, learning a few words from their language, or marking a festival like Diwali or Eid can make a real difference.

Why this matters to fostering

The theme for this year’s South Asian Heritage Month is Root to Routes — which is about understanding where we come from and how it shapes where we’re going. For children in care, having someone to support that sense of belonging can change the direction of their life.

As foster carers, taking the time to understand a child’s background shows them that they matter. It’s not about having all the answers — it’s about being open, respectful, and willing to learn.

And for children from South Asian backgrounds, being placed with a carer who understands or shares that culture can be especially reassuring.

Foster carers Ansar and Jehan's story

Ansar and Jehan are long-standing foster carers with a deep commitment to supporting unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Ansar says,

Fostering has been the most spiritually rewarding experience of our lives.

With backgrounds in engineering and teaching, they brought a wealth of life experience to their role, but say nothing has compared to the meaning and impact they’ve found in fostering. Inspired by a close family friend who was also a carer, they began their journey with open hearts and a desire to give back to society. Since then, they’ve welcomed 15 children and two mothers into their home — each one leaving a lasting impression.

Their experience highlights the importance of cultural understanding and emotional support in foster care. Their first placement was a refugee child who didn’t speak English, yet with creativity, compassion, and strong support from Nexus Fostering, they found ways to connect.

With Nexus Fostering's ongoing training and practical guidance, they have helped us adapt and grow as carers.

Jehan says. "for those thinking about fostering, it's important to ask questions, embrace the training, and be prepared for the full commitment that fostering involves — because it’s not just a role, it’s a way of life." Read more of their story here.

We need more carers from all backgrounds

At Nexus Fostering, we’re always looking for people who can offer stable, loving homes — especially those who understand the value of cultural identity.

If you’ve ever thought about fostering, this could be the time to find out more. Your culture, language or lived experience could mean the world to a child in care. Contact us here for a friendly, informal chat.

And to explore more about South Asian Heritage Month and its Root to Routes theme, visit:
www.southasianheritage.org.uk