I have to go back some to remember my early fostering days. It was a bit of a blur. I'm up to speed on what's what now, and what I know might be useful to people who are thinking about fostering.
Things have changed for the better. Fostering is now in better shape for the foster child and for the Foster Carer than ever before.
Would you believe that when I first got interested in fostering there...
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
BACK TO SCHOOL
Here's a tricky question which I get asked often;
"What's the best thing about fostering?"
The best thing changes day by day, sometimes by the hour, sometimes minute by minute.
Sometimes you get fantastic little moments that knock your socks off. They come and go, like the one that's just happened today.
But it's the big 'best things' that endure, such as the simple fact you're doing something...
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
INDEPENDENCE
One of the most interesting dimension of fostering is helping children find independence.
A child's journey from needing everything done for them to being able to do everything for themselves is a big part of parenting and maybe an even bigger part of fostering.
Only it's a different journey for the foster child. And for the foster parents.
Take Bethany, an eight year-old girl who arrived at our...
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
NEWEST FOSTER CHILD UPDATE
Our latest foster placement, Ryder, is coming along.
When you start in fostering it's all a bit of a blur at first, but you soon pick up some patterns, such as the so-called honeymoon period. The child arrives and is usually compliant; curiously co-operative. Then they get to know us and our home. They relax - and express understandable sadness and anxiety. We get through those days and once the...