‘The ad said, can you foster? My husband and I looked at each other. I knew what was going through my husband’s head because it was in mine too. We had thought about becoming a fostering family for years, but it never felt like the right time. There was always something going on, or we made another excuse. Then, from nowhere, adverts appeared everywhere around fostering. The ads said, ‘Can you foster?‘ And we replied, ‘ Yes, we can.’
‘It was then that the penny dropped. We sensed a huge need for foster carers; why all the ads if there weren’t? We needed to decide and then stick with our decision. However, the ads reinforced what we already knew. Now was the right time for our family; replying to the ad was the best decision we have ever made.’
‘My husband and I have been foster carers for over 14 years; we love it. As a family, we have given a lot of love to give to a child or children; we do it because we want to make a difference in children’s lives, no matter how long they need us.’
‘If I could sum up fostering, I would say, hand on heart, it is an amazing opportunity…’
The decision to foster was a family decision.
‘We decided as a family to welcome children into our lives with open arms and help them become a part of our family unit. We are one large family, and we embrace every child and their unique ways in our lives and hearts.’
‘When we talk about becoming foster carers now, we smile because fostering children means the world to us. We are proud of our children as they help to make children settle. Thanks to them, the children feel safe and welcomed into our family unit, which is priceless.’
‘Since we took our first steps as a fostering family, we have never looked back.’
‘Since we took our first steps together as a fostering family, we have never looked back and felt immense achievement. As a family, we have helped many children have a stable, safe, and loving home for a while. This is so important for us and is why , when asked, can you foster? Answering yes, was the best decision we have ever made.’
It is an honour to be trusted to care for someone else’s child.
‘As a family, we love helping care for children and making them feel safe. The feeling we get from this is watching children achieve their best potential; it is so rewarding in the smallest of ways. Also, we know that we can give a child, or children, a feeling of belonging within our family. But the most important thing is, we are honoured to be trusted to care for someone else’s child for a while.’
‘Our foster children know my husband, and I are their primary carers. However, they are blessed with an extra-large dose of support, fun and love from each of us. As every child is unique, so are we, and we complement each other well because we all want to make a difference to children when they need us.’
The ad said ‘Can you Foster?’ were everywhere.
‘When we are asked why we foster or what it’s like, we’re not sure where to start. So, we say, we saw the foster care ads on the TV, social media, and noticeboards. After fourteen years, the ads are all over the radio and even on the buses; they are everywhere and said the same; Can you foster?
We knew from the ad that children in our communities needed foster carers. Therefore, deciding to foster, a decision we had asked ourselves for years, needed making. Either we do it now or not at all. So, when we thought about, Can you foster? We said, yes, we can. And we have never looked back.’
‘We went into fostering with our eyes open and committed ourselves. As a family, we knew we had a lot of love to give. Furthermore, we knew we wanted to foster with a Not-for-Profit agency that keeps children local in the communities they belong.’
Choosing the right agency is a big decision.
‘The community in which we live is close. Everyone knows each other, and we have a strong community support network. We also know that not everyone is as lucky as we are. However, as a family, we have a lot of love to give to children. Therefore, choosing the right agency for us was a huge part of the decision-making.’
‘We looked at many agencies. We spoke with them, investigated what they had to offer and, eventually, chose the one that matched our family. Taking time to do this is vital; don’t believe what others say, find out for yourself, and trust your instincts.
The major decisions we make in life that are successful are based on knowledge and instinct. However, the decision to foster when we reply to the ads involves looking after children that are not ours; we must decide well.’
Verve Community proudly supports the not-for-profit sector.
Verve recruits foster carers for the Not-for-Profit sector. We have successfully recruited foster carers who replied to our ads because becoming a foster carer has been on their mind for a long time. They have decided to find out more because life after the lockdown made them reassess the importance of doing things now.
Verve’s job is to match you with the best agency for you and the children in our communities. The decision to foster is the first step to exploring what type of foster care is best for you and your family. More importantly, we match your skills in caring for children with the needs of the children in your community; keeping children local, where they belong, is integral to what we do.
Contact me on the form below to learn more about fostering with a Not-for-Profit agency. Verve will support you every step of the way with honest and impartial advice. Together, we can and do make a difference in the lives of children within our community. Can you foster?
Table of content
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- The Veterans Hub, Leigh, CIC, & Re-Engage are the inspiration for change.
