MONMOUTH'S foster carers are racking up the awards for their clever use of the social media site Yammer.

Carers have been using the site as a support network and to keep in touch with one another.

The use of the site has already won the Innovation award at the Some Comms national social media awards. It was also a finalist at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Local Public Services Group awards and the Computer Weekly Awards for the best use of social media in the public sector.

Yammer is a website that lets employees share and connect with co-workers on a social network, collaborating in teams, sharing ideas and receiving updates on other enterprises.

Monmouth County Council's foster care team had a request from carers to create what they described as an "online bulletin board" in order to give foster carers somewhere to turn to to ask questions and seek advice from both the Council and other carers.

This was the first use of Yammer for a project like this in the UK.