Foster Carer Stories

Local same sex couple share their Fostering story 

The couple foster together and enjoy family days out. Here’s what they told us: 

“I got into fostering, mainly because my background was in, childcare, ever since I finished college.  

“So I then, decided to, look at the option of fostering. I've got, two sons myself, and, I thought it could work very well in our family unit. When I met my partner, it was something that I'd always wanted to do. So, we kind of came together with fostering as part of our relationship. 

“The best thing about Fostering is building a relationship and seeing children grow, change and develop. It is about the family, embracing having another child in the household and I want to see them flourish, within the placement. 

“It's very up and down. The ‘ups’ include seeing your foster children on their journey, seeing some of the changes, seeing them become more confident, creative, maybe getting a sense of humour that they didn't have before. 

“Our best kind of fostering moments are days out, they're always fun and a bit crazy and chaotic. 

“We like to go to a nearby swimming pool from the leisure centre nearby. We also like going to the library, then on other days we may go to Woodlands or Crealy.  

“Typically, locally, we like to go to down and to the parks, taking the children out outside and up to the sea. 

“We get very good support from Torbay Council. We got a very, good, social worker that we have a really good relationship with. and that enables us to be sort of open, if we experience any difficulties. 

“If you enjoy being with children it’s really satisfying and rewarding, even seeing very slow changes which can make the difference to some children and their lives.  

“So if you have time and love to give, and you feel that you can offer a foster child a safe and secure environment, then go for it.” 

Torbay husband and wife have been Fostering for ten years 

A retired couple from the Bay have been Foster Carers for the past ten years.  

“We got into fostering after a Christmas party that we attended in 2013. We got talking to someone who was involved in fostering and applied, in the January after discussing it with the family. 

“My favourite fostering memories. Well, they've been so many of them. I think certainly very close to the top of the list will be the very first children we ever looked after. It wasn't until the day that their parents came to our house. 

“We Fostered them until they were adopted, and they just ran straight into their arms. That’s when we realized, hey, we could do this. You know, that we we brought them to a point where they were ready to move on in their lives. To this day, we still see them.That's definitely up there amongst them - just lots of memories and good people. 

“The kind of things that we like to spend time doing - well, it's really guided by them as much as anything else. Their favourite place in all the world is Paignton Zoo. 

“Other places we like to visit include parks, beaches. I mean, we live in such a glorious area. The choices are immense, but we also like to have what we always call quiet time, which begins around 4.15pm in the afternoon. I would just sit quietly together with one of the girls (we look after twins). One of the girls, we get under a blanket and she'll pick some TV programme and we sit quietly until tea and that sort of eases them into the evening. 

“We've worked with some great professionals as well. And there's been so many, I wouldn't really know where to start. They have some absolutely brilliant people in Torbay Council in the Children's Services. Support is always there when we need you. Just a phone call away. 

“What would I say to people is - get into fostering. There's only one real reason to do it, and that is to give someone else a chance, a child, a chance that they wouldn't otherwise have. You know, the childhood memories that can be lost within difficult family relationships, coming into coming into force in those children have great opportunities, move forward in their lives. 

“Just seeing them moving on and being happy and having a real shot at life. You know, that that that's the reward.”