Why we foster
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Patience, understanding and a sense of humour are perfect qualities for foster carers, explains Wendy Thomas who has been fostering children for over three years. Wendy shares her experiences of fostering.
“My husband Paul and I have fostered 10 children, aged 14 months to 12 years, for periods as short as two nights and as long as two years. We thought very carefully about fostering as we have two children of our own – Holly and David - and wondered how any foster children would fit into our family. We needn’t have worried; fostering has been hard sometimes because children can be distressed, but we have always worked through this.
We had to have an interview before we were accepted as foster parents and then we went on a training course which ran one evening a week for several weeks. The course covered all aspects of fostering including what our roles and responsibilities would be. We also had the chance to meet and talk with experienced foster carers.
Our foster children become part of our life for the time they are with us and all are special to us as we have shared so much with them.
We were all really excited, but nervous when we got the first call telling us there was a child who needed a foster home. A few days later, a bright, bubbly six year-old arrived. He was just like Chesney from Coronation Street and was such a happy little boy. He stayed with us for eight months and even went to our own children’s school. After his time with us he went back to his family. Since then, we’ve looked after nine other children, all very different but all very special.
Of course, it is sad when the children leave but we always feel that we have helped to make a real, positive difference to a child’s life.
We would recommend fostering to anyone and would encourage anyone thinking about it to get in touch with the fostering team at Bridgend County Borough Council.”
Become a foster carer
There are currently have 77 foster carers in Bridgend County Borough Council and more are needed. Like foster children, foster carers come from a variety of different backgrounds.
If you feel you have the enthusiasm, patience and understanding to become a foster carer and would be willing to care for children of all ages from babies through to teenagers, we’d like to hear from you.
Contact the Fostering Team on (01656) 642349 or log onto www.bridgend.gov.uk for more information.
- Last Updated: 19/12/2008
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