Are you considering fostering in Portsmouth? Read a day in the life of local foster carers
Foster carers are always needed for children of all ages who need to live somewhere else. This may be for just a short period of time, or for an extended period and can include individual children, more than one child or sibling groups.
The kind of people who foster are as varied as the youngsters themselves… here are the stories from three foster families in Hampshire.
The first child Nina and Keith cared for was a baby, and the next was Calli*, a 13-year-old girl. They have been carers for five years, have looked after 12 individuals, and now foster two sibling sets.
They said: "We are very busy, but we wouldn't have it any other way."
The couple moved to a larger property so they had room to accommodate two groups of siblings, after seeing how important it was to try to keep family members together.
"When the two groups first met, they did not get along at all. But we went on supportive training courses aimed at the needs of the children, worked closely with Foster Portsmouth, took them on bonding activities and days out, and worked with them at home, and they now get along as a group of four. It's wonderful to see."
Thanks to their care and nurture, Calli has been able to get back into regular attendance at school, and they say the support of their own family and employer helped make that happen.
"She's in her first year of university now and doing fantastically well. We are so proud of her and the journey she has taken."
Michael was an experienced foster carer in London before moving to Portsmouth. Now, the full-time IT project manager fosters teenagers on his own, and credits his own background for his decision.
“I spent the majority of my childhood in long-term foster care with the same wonderful carers. I might not have had the amazing opportunities they gave me without them,” he said. "I wanted to give something back to children who needed some much-needed care and stability in their lives because I'm so appreciative of my foster carers and the life path they helped pave for me.”
While teenagers can be challenging, Michael has learned to work with them, incorporating their routines into his home to help make the placements work. He has fostered six children, with three longer-term placements including a child seeking asylum.
And he finds the work very rewarding.
“Teenage boys are often thought of as not expressing or discussing their emotions,” he said. But he has experienced many emotional moments with the youngsters he has fostered over the years, and said: “It makes it all worthwhile and lets me know that I've been a positive chapter in their story.”
With 20 years of experience as a full-time sole foster carer, 47-year-old Rachel now cares for unaccompanied children seeking refuge and says it is the best thing she has ever done.
"Despite the fact that it takes two to three years to get to England and that they go through unimaginable hardships, the boys I've cared for are so humble, grateful, and full of kindness,” says Rachel, who was adopted herself.
"The look on their faces is absolutely priceless when they return home from their place of education and they've passed an exam or got a good grade on their coursework and they hear that you are proud of them. The same as when I learn a new word in one of their languages and correctly pronounce it."
She says her role is “fantastic”, and heartily recommends it, adding: “Do it! It will change your life as well as theirs. It did mine. 100%.”
About fostering
If you are considering becoming a foster carer with Foster Portsmouth your first step will be via a friendly phone call, to find out a little more about you and answer any questions you have.
If you decide to go on to the next stage a social worker will do an initial home visit to look around your home and talk to anyone living there, including asking about your family and background and why you are considering becoming a foster carer. If both parties are happy, an assessment period of up to six months begins, ending up with a fostering panel.
Nina and Keith said they enjoyed the process, though found it hard remembering details they were asked about their early adulthood, but said the whole process reinforced their desire to be foster carers.
More information on the assessment process can be found here – What to expect during the foster carer assessment process.
Could it be you?Foster Portsmouth says there is a need for more people ready to open their hearts and their homes to vulnerable young people. Inquiries are welcome from people of all backgrounds, regardless of religious beliefs, relationship status or nationality.
You must be at least 21 years old (there’s no upper age limit) and while you don’t need to be a home owner you do need to have a spare room, and some experience with young people. The key characteristics they look for are people with a positive attitude, resilience and patience.
Carers with Foster Portsmouth are given training, ongoing round-the-clock support, allowances and access to the award-winning Mockingbird model of care, and free membership to The Fostering Network.
There’s more information online and more stories like these from foster carers in the area Home - Foster Portsmouth.
Want to know more?
Getting in touch is simple, whether you have questions or are ready to start, simply call 023 9283 4071 or email [email protected].
*Names changed to protect identities.