Christine and Mike have been approved foster carers for over 20 years. They have two children who are grown up and living their own lives. During their first 15 years of fostering, they gained a wealth of experience fostering full time. They decided to switch to part time fostering after they took on the commitment to be their grandson’s childcare whilst their daughter and her husband works full time. This is their story.
What first sparked your interest in fostering?
“Our own children were growing up so we talked about it as a family and decided it would be a good thing to give something back. Mike has an adoptive brother, so he has had positive experiences with social services, and we had an awareness of fostering.”
It’s always important to have these discussions with your family to ensure you are at the right stage in your lives to open your home. To learn more about the basics of fostering, visit our commonly asked questions page here.
How does fostering fit around your life?
“We have the same two children that come every other weekend and that gives their full-time carer a regular break. We’ve done this for about 4 years and it’s a regular commitment that works quite nicely around our other commitments in life.”
This is a great example of how occasional fostering can be easily moulded around your life. If you work full time, it’s something you could take up on weekends or holidays. It’s all about you and what you feel capable of doing. Learn more about the different types of fostering here.
What are the benefits?
“With part time fostering, there is a lot of flexibility. We are free to say yes or no depending on our time availability. We still get to build lovely relationships with the children – particularly the ones we see regularly. Importantly, we are providing an opportunity for other foster carers to have a well-earned break.”
It’s important to understand what type of fostering would best suit your life. If you are looking for a less time-consuming way to help children, then part time fostering is a great option.
What advice would you give to someone considering part time care?
“Part time care is a vital part of the fostering family – foster carers have confidence that the children they look after will be safe, supported and well cared for whilst they have a break. If you want to help children’s lives without a full-time commitment, consider part time fostering.”
Getting to know each child that stays with you is important so they can feel as comfortable as they can. Soon enough, you will know every food they love or hate and their favourite toys.
“Consider what support or anything practical you may need from the local authority and don’t be afraid to contact them.”
It’s important to remember that you are not alone, we are here with you every step of the way. There will always be someone from our team on the other end of the phone to support you.
What does fostering mean to you?
“Mike and I have had many ups and downs on our fostering journey. We have welcomed around 60 or 70 vulnerable children into our home. Some children have been easier than others but building those relationships and gaining the trust of the children who may have suffered significant trauma is very important to us. Watching those children move onto a permanent home is incredibly rewarding and we know that our input can make a big difference to their lives. We keep in touch with quite a few of the children who have moved on to adoption. We’re also supporting a now young man who we fostered around 15 years ago. We offer advice when needed and more often, a listening ear when he needs us.”
Part time fostering doesn’t mean you won’t create amazing bonds with the children in your care. Christine and Mike are a great example of how you can continue to support a child and be in their lives even after they have grown up.
“We are happy to have had the opportunity to make a difference to all these children’s lives. With part time fostering, we still get the opportunity to build those relationships whilst doing fun activities with the children. Often the break from their regular carers can be seen as a little holiday for them.”
If Christine and Mike’s story has inspired you to take that first step, contact us for a friendly and informal chat about fostering.
