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I've had thoughts for a number of years of fostering, but because I have no children
of my own, I didn't know whether I'd be suitable, eligible or anything. I had a pre-conceived
idea of what a foster carer was and it wasn't me. I wasn't middle class, I didn't have a
semi-detached house with a garden and it was a friend who worked in the residential care
system who persuaded me to, at first, befriend a child in a children's home, which I did
and from there I realised this was what I wanted to do and applied and was approved.
The high points of fostering are when you see the changes that you've made. You don't
always see them at the time but when I have been on training and you've got to reflect
on what you have done, it comes out in that and you think, 'Oh my goodness, we did that'
and you don't realise until you look back and think; 'We made a difference there'.
Support from Lancashire County Council in my experience has been very good. I've been
able to contact the link worker, the child social worker and the emergency duty teams
that are there. In fact because you have monthly visits, you never feel that you're that far
away from contact with a social worker and in between times, there are always family
and friends.
If it's just something that I feel that another foster carer might know as well, we have contact
with those and we can get in touch with other carers, as well and see their experience,
how they've handled things and sometimes you just need to run by them what you think is
right, because more often than not it's common sense.
I access training probably as much as I can because I find it invaluable in probably learning
new skills and abilities but also in kind of catching up on things because things do
change, policies and procedures do change and we need to know that, but as I said earlier
I also find it invaluable to look at your work and how you are working and make sure
that it is current, it's up to date and that you are working within the boundaries, because
even though you are in your own home, you're still a professional and you've got those
boundaries to work to.
I think to encourage people to take that step to become a foster carer, then if you're thinking
about it, it's in there somewhere. By getting in contact, you're not committing to anything
but you're also being able to find out what is out there, what's their expectation of
you and what are your expectations of them. I think to be a foster carer, the qualities
that you need are just to be a normal, loving, caring person who is able to accept someone
else within their home. It's about what you can offer and they'll support you all the
way through that and just go for it.