My name is Rachel, and I’m a mother of 4 children. I’m also the daughter of dedicated foster carers, Sharon and John.
“foster children are no different from us; they’ve just had some traumatic times.”
At first, it felt a bit unusual to be a part of a foster family, especially because back then, foster children shared a room with me. Nowadays, foster children are required to have their own bedrooms. Initially, it was a pleasant change to enjoy some quiet moments between placements, but I soon grew accustomed to sharing my room and eagerly looked forward to welcoming the next child into our family. Our house was always brimming with activity since my grandparents were also foster carers and frequently visited us. It was wonderful that we were all treated equally.
“as the child of foster parents, I’ve enjoyed the experience of meeting different children.”
I developed close bonds with all my foster siblings, and we still regard each other as family to this day. It was emotionally challenging when my parents had newborn babies, and as those babies either returned to their biological families or were adopted, I faced a unique set of emotional hurdles. Thankfully, my parents provided the support I needed to navigate these changes.
“foster children became our extended family, always welcome in our home.”
We had so many positive experiences, watching them grow into their unique characters. We had fun, shared laughter, and got into some minor trouble together lol, but we were grounded together like one big family.
“supporting them takes patience and time for trust to develop.”
The main adjustment was sharing my room, but I never felt any different. If anything, I always had a friend.
We were involved from the beginning and asked how we felt throughout the process. We were explained to a certain extent without breaking confidentiality, but most of the time, the children themselves would tell me. If they did, I would tell Mum, and she would handle it.
It makes me feel proud to see the children grow and move forward in life, whether that meant going home or finding adoptive families. I feel privileged to have met all the children who have stayed with us.
My advice would be to support them and be patient. It takes time for the children to trust you. Love and understanding are a must. Never comment on individual family members; just listen and be there for them.
I still support my parents with fostering, even though I have a family of my own. The foster children are my extended family and are treated the same as my own. They are always welcome in my home, and we do lots of things together.
“love and understanding are a must when supporting foster children.”
As the child of a fostering family, I can honestly say I have enjoyed the experience of meeting different children. The good times certainly outweigh the sad times. Foster children are no different from us or anyone else; it’s just unfortunate they have had some traumatic times. Hopefully, our family has been able to make a difference in their lives and continues to do so.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a foster carer with Foster Wales Wrexham, please get in touch, we’d love to speak with you.
