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Stories and Successes within Fostering

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“What’s unique about the fostering service? Well we are like a big extended family we all have different roles; foster carers, key workers, managers and operations manager. What happens is regardless of these roles, we all come together for one thing and that’s for our kids to have the best chance in life” (James foster carer for 11 years).

Foster and residential child care is a complex activity (SCIE, 2010) and requires a commitment from adults to invest in young people and guide them towards a better future. Garfat (2008) stated that residential child care practitioners and foster carers are “among the most influential of healers and helpers”. Both can provide a platform for helping young people at different stages of their development and young people may move placement from residential child care to foster care. Therefore it is important to be aware of both services and understand what is required for young people to achieve successful outcomes.

The Looked-after Children and Family report (2009) highlights “the importance for children in care of stable, reliable, nurturing relationships with those who care for them”. Providing young people with a safe, secure, emotionally loving and supportive environment supports young people to develop a sense of belonging and promotes healthy, stable relationships with others into adulthood. A common factor that young people in foster care share are that they identify relationships with significant adults (carers and staff) as a contributory factor to a turning point in their life.

James has been a foster carer for over 11 years. During that time he has looked after 27 young people. James is still in touch with many of the young people he has cared for and can recall a number of success stories about young people he has looked after. For example, James spoke about one young man Duncan (21) who after 3 years still calls him every day to check in and see how things are going. “It doesn’t matter if I’m here or in Australia, he calls to chat about his day”. Duncan, now a manager of a shop, feel’s that having someone to call each day and share stories with is important.

From a young person’s perspective, Alexander (13) spoke about other fostered young people visiting James for dinner, and how it was good to hear other young people’s stories about what they were like when they were younger and lived with James and how they matured into adulthood. For example Gregor (20), experienced may difficulties throughout adolescence, however states that James is the “one person who stuck by me”. Gregor recently graduated from university and is working in a local bank training to be a mortgage advisor. Both Gregor and Duncan have their driving license and both share their thanks to James for being there for them and the fostering service for supporting them to achieve their goals in life.

Young people within the fostering service were eager to share their success and experience of relationships in foster care. Here are some of their views,

Stuart (19 years old) “I moved in with Andrew and Alana when I was 13, that was 6 years ago now. I had about four placements before then. I never settled. I never felt at home. I went to my last progress meeting and when my social worker asked how my placement was going I said I felt I had somewhere to call home and somewhere I belonged. I was worried when he spoke about moving on but I had the confidence and the backing of who I call my Ma and Da, to say I’m not ready. My key worker and manager of the fostering service helped me to gain a full-time work placement and through my training I have started work in a local garage. I have had a lot going on and it’s not been easy for them [foster carers] but they have stood by me. I just want to thank them for everything”

Alexander (13 years old) “I was a nightmare when I came to live with James but he was patient, he had a good laugh with me. I just feel like I’m part of the family. It’s only been three years but in that time James (foster carer) and Lewis (key worker) have helped me to manage in main stream school. I have started to get the train to meet my family on my own. I can meet my friends from school and my mate stays at the weekend. Each morning before school James asks me if I have my tool kit for the day. We speak about how I have skills to cope with the day ahead, I didn’t have them [skills] before”

The ethos and culture that surrounds the fostering service and those who are part of the team encourage and provide a relationally rich environment not only for the young people but for the foster carers. Foster carers commented,

Ann (3 years) “What I like is that there is never a silly question, we are not scared to call and ask managers, key workers and fellow carers. We have a strong bond. We are all there for each other and that works well for the kids. The service helps us put things in perspective and provides a safe space for us to reflect and provide the best support for our young people”

Fiona (4 years) “The support is phenomenal from the staff team. We share advice, support, stories, laughs, tears and training. If there’s any help I need, I get it”

There is a lot to gain from relational based practice within fostering and residential child care services. The need to belong can be met for young people in placement through an involvement in services and relationships with carers and support staff. It is these relationships that lead to better outcomes for young people and knowing there is always a person or support system to rely on in times of difficulty. It is important that social care services listen to young people, carers and practitioners views to move forward and embrace a relational approach to practice and encourage extended contact and care with young people into their adult life.

 

 

Watch out for my next blog exploring the barriers of relational based practice in residential child care.

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