By Maria and Phil
I had grown up in a large family so loved the idea of always having young people around. I felt that if I could help just one child change their path in life then I would have done a good job.
We have cared for children of all different ages from a few weeks to years, there are different fostering options to suit different families. Most of our foster children have experienced trauma in their lives and the most important thing is to help them feel safe, secure and nurture them.
The difference you can make to children’s lives by fostering is so rewarding. One of our foster daughters sadly lost out on a large part of her childhood as she would often be left for long periods of time without food to look after her younger siblings, who were just a few months old and a toddler.
When she first came to us, she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. She just didn’t receive the love or support she desperately needed but now she gets it from us. She can enjoy being a child again.
She missed out on her own education, but she has really flourished in the past year! She’s now at the level she should be and this has made her much more confident. She loves going to school now and wants to do well. She feels so proud of herself and skips out of school to share her achievements with me and the family. We know she’ll have a bright future ahead of her.
Many foster children miss out on praise. We commend them all, no matter how small the achievement may seem, and focus on what they can do, instead of what they can’t. This praise and encouragement make such a difference to their development and has helped build on their confidence significantly. We’re helping them to believe in themselves.
If you are considering fostering, I would say that if you have the love and attention to give a child then you can do it! You will get to meet the most amazing people, other foster carers and the children themselves. You will have brilliant support, training and feel part of a community.
The love you give them and the love they give you is like nothing else in this world.
Essex County Council are recruiting foster carers in your community and across Essex. They need foster carers for age groups. Every child deserves a safe place to call home. If you’d like to find out more please call 0800 801 530 or visit their website to learn more www.essex.gov.uk/fosterwithEssex.
