8th October 2019
October is Sons and Daughters Month and we have decided to share a story from Charis, the daughter of a foster carer, and how fostering has changed her future.
Charis talks about her experience of living with foster children: “My foster sister and I are very close; sharing clothes, shopping together and of course discussing the latest school gossip. I also have a foster brother and we have lots of fun playing outside although sometimes we disagree on the rules!
“My life has changed a lot since our family began to foster. We have met so many new people through fostering and we are especially fond of our social worker Elaine, who is so gentle and kind. We have stayed in touch with the first little boy we fostered; he and his mum come to stay sometimes.
“My friends were very supportive when I told them we were fostering and they quickly developed friendships with all the kids who have lived with us.
“I now share dad, mum and my wider family with three others and not just my brother. At the beginning I was a little jealous but now I feel it is better for me to learn to share not just things but people.
“Every kid deserves a loving home so my advice is, stick with it and build a relationship. We have been together for almost four years now and I can’t imagine life without my foster siblings. I love them.”
Charis’ mum and dad foster through the Southern Health and Social Care Trust. The Trust’s Family Service Placement Service said: “We send our sincere thanks to the sons and daughters of foster carers for welcoming fostered children into their home. Without them, their parents would not be able to foster and make a difference to the lives of other children.
“The decision to become a foster carer should not be taken lightly as it involves the whole family. But fostering can and does have a positive impact on everyone in the household. Sons and daughters of foster carers will learn to love, learn to share and learn about transitions. They will learn about the real world and how to accept others and value diversity. It may depend on the age of the child, the maturity of the child, the personality of the child…but please don’t rule fostering out because you have children.”
For more information about fostering please call 0800 0720 137 or click here.
If you want to hear more about what Charis, and her mum Isobel, have to say about fostering please click here to watch their video on YouTube.