14 February 2008

The Rewards of Fostering

In any one day around 2,500 children and young people are living with foster carers in Northern Ireland.

Fostering is about caring for children who are unable to live at home. This could be for a number of reasons which prevent birth parents from looking after their children, for example, health or social issues, relationship problems or lack of support. Fostering provides security and stability for a child in such circumstances.

Sinead and Sean Smith from Newry have been fostering since 2003. Sinead first became interested in fostering through her work as a child care Social Worker working with vulnerable teenage girls. Also having a very positive experience as adoptive parents, Sinead and Sean were encouraged by their other children to become foster carers too.

Sinead says: “Fostering has been a very positive experience for our family. Our children are very supportive and proud of our endeavours. They love the idea that their parents can provide a loving home to young people and are very clued in to their needs.”

“We have been able to establish positive relationships with the professionals and birth parents involved. As Social Workers, we have the benefit of being aware of the system and of the procedures relating to looked after children.”

On the rewards of fostering Sinead says: “Fostering gives me a great sense of achievement and I am always delighted when I see children in my care making progress. A stable, loving environment and giving young people a positive example, can equip them with the skills to meet life’s challenges. I find that the young people I care for are happy to have someone to stand up for them and show them that they matter. I love all the children who I have fostered and made a good attachment with them all. That in itself is reward enough.”

Foster carers are ordinary people of all ages from all types of family situations who can offer a child or sibling group a loving family. People who can help a child recover from the reasons why they came in to care. If you think you might have what it takes, please pick up the phone today.

To find out more about fostering contact your local Family Placement Team:

Armagh and Dungannon Tel: 028 8775 2033

Craigavon and Banbridge Tel: 028 3833 7181

Newry and Mourne Tel: 028 3083 2692/3