“Fostering is special, you get to love them and they love you back. Anybody thinking of fostering I would say go for it, it is worth it and so rewarding, it changes your life!” These are the words of Foster Carer, Isobel Graham as the Fostering Team at the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust kicked off ‘Foster Care Fortnight’ with a heart-warming coffee morning at the picturesque Montalto Estate in Ballynahinch to show appreciation for the unwavering dedication and support of Foster Carers across the Trust area.
The event served as a heartfelt thank you, bringing together Foster Carers and Trust staff in a beautiful setting to celebrate their vital contributions and to share their experiences and connect with one another in a relaxed and supportive environment.
Among a range of Foster Carers attending the coffee morning, Isobel and Ruth Clarke, shared their inspiring journeys, highlighting the profound impact fostering has had on their lives and the lives of the children they care for.
Isobel and her husband started on their fostering journey in 2019. They currently have two boys, one whom they have adopted and the second boy whom they foster. Isobel said, “Unfortunately we were unable to have children of our own and we really wanted them in our lives, there is so much you can give, you don’t have to be blood relatives. A friend went through the fostering process, so we decided we would give fostering a go. We undertook the training and three years later, we have two lovely boys.
“The assessment process is long, but it is definitely worth it, we decided we wanted short-term fostering. We fell in love with both boys and everything they do is a special moment for us.”
Ruth Clarke and her husband embarked on their initial fostering journey with a view of adopting. They have two children of their own and have fostered five children so far. Ruth explained, “We put ourselves forward for short-term fostering for young children aged 0-2 years. It is a complete joy to have them in our home and it is so special to be the ‘treasure-keeper’ of their memories, you get to enjoy all their early-year experiences.
“It is such a privilege to help them grow and thrive and to see them transition to their forever home. It is knowing you have played a part in that and help support them from the moment they were born.
“All children deserve a loving family home, not every child is able to have that through various circumstances, to be able to provide that experience to children is so vital. We try to support the child’s birth family, it is lovely to see them grow together and a new family emerge from that is so special.
“Don’t rule out the prospect of fostering, if there is a seed there, explore it, it is such a rewarding experience.”
Acknowledging the importance of Foster Carers, Head of Service, Fostering & Adoption in the South Eastern Trust, Nuala Hanna added, “Foster Care Fortnight is an opportunity to celebrate and say thank you to our dedicated Foster Carers. The coffee morning is an opportunity to acknowledge the wonderful work that they do.
“Within Northern Ireland, the number of Looked After Children continues to rise year on year. We need to have Foster Carers who can offer these children security and stability while their care plan is being processed.
“If you are thinking about Fostering, go online or speak to a Social Worker. There are many different types of foster care that will suit the needs of you and your family, these include emergency foster care, short breaks, short-term, long-term and supported lodgings.
“From my experience over the last thirty years as a Social Worker and speaking to Foster Carers, they get so much from fostering and seeing the positive outcomes of looking after children and setting them up for the future by providing them with a safe, stable home environment with love and nurture to allow them to develop into mature self-sufficient adults.”
If you are interested in Fostering, visit adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net or phone (0800) 0720 137 for further information.
