West Midlands
West Midlands County
The West Midlands is well re-known for its nurturing support for foster children and young people in need, this page shares both information and local resources available for existing and new foster carers across the West Midlands districts.
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The West Midlands, a nurturing and productive county
For information about Fostering, Foster Care and Fostering Services available to both new and existing foster carers across the West Midlands:
From bicycles, rugby and heavy metal to the latest advances in life sciences and zero carbon technology, the West Midlands’ innovators, products and ideas have helped drive Britain forward and shape the world.The West Midlands is home to creators, makers and innovators. From the birthplace of the industrial revolution through to the UK’s first multi-city testbed for 5G technology –the West Midlands has remained at the forefront of change for centuries.This collection of 50 facts showcase the region’s contribution to the world. While much is known about the West Midlands’ industrial past, its influence spans the present day and is helping to shape the future. From leading the way on smart mobility through to a strong focus on creative technologies, the people who live and work here continue to make their mark. The pacemaker; the world’s leading brain cancer drug; links between flashes on television and epilepsy; and the world’s first Ibuprofen patch were all pioneered in the Universities of the West Midlands. Alongside the Universities, which help to accelerate the region’s development, there are many unique attractions. The West Midlands is the birthplace of Shakespeare, rugby and 2-tone music. It has inspired many, including JRR Tolkien and heavy metal music.
The West Midlands County is a metropolitan county and combined authority area in western-central England with a 2018 estimated population of 2,916,458, making it the second most populated county in England with Greater London being the most populated. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. It was formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The county consists of seven metropolitan boroughs: the City of Birmingham, the City of Coventry and the City of Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall.
The metropolitan county exists in law and as a geographic frame of reference, and as a ceremonial county it has a Lord Lieutenant and a High Sheriff. Between 1974 and 1986, the West Midlands County Council was the administrative body covering the county however this was abolished on 31 March 1986, and the constituent metropolitan boroughs effectively became unitary authorities. A new administrative body for the county, the West Midlands Combined Authority, was created in June 2016. Since May 2017, the authority has been headed by a directly elected Mayor of the West Midlands, a position currently held by Andy Street of the Conservative Party who took office on Thursday 4 May 2017 for a length of 4 years. Other county-wide bodies include the West Midlands Police, the West Midlands Fire Service and Transport for West Midlands.
The county is sometimes described as the “West Midlands metropolitan area” or the “West Midlands conurbation” or “Greater Birmingham”, although these have different, and less clearly defined, boundaries. The name “West Midlands” is also used for the much larger West Midlands region, which sometimes causes confusion, not surprising perhaps when geographically it is on the eastern side of the region, the western side comprising Shropshire and Herefordshire the southern side comprising Worcestershire and most of Warwickshire.
Start your West Midlands fostering journey with Ikon Fostering
Midlands Dedicated and Supportive Services
We place young people and children with foster carers across the the West Midlands.
To find out more get in touch…