One of our foster carers, Tanith, has kindly written about why she chose fostering, as well as her experiences of being a foster carer with Swiis:
Why I chose fostering
I wanted to foster many years before I became a foster carer.
I had always worked around my children’s school hours when they were growing up. Working with adults who have learning disabilities for over 20 years has given me a good insight of care in many different situations. Having worked at a further education college as a teaching assistant for the past 12 years, I found myself talking to many looked after children. One thing that a lot of them had in common was that they accepted that they were going to fail at college and had very little belief in themselves. I saw their everyday struggles with friendships and behaviour that often demanded attention. It was clear that these young people needed to be listened to and understood before they were ready to even give their education a go.
The young people that I talked to spoke about having to move from home to home. Their lives sounded difficult – many of them didn’t know when they were going to be moved onto another foster home. It was a huge worry for them. Often education was the last thing on their minds.
It made me think that my partner Jon and I could offer a child a stable life and chance of some normality. We also wanted to put the advantages that we had gained from a positive upbringing to good use. Fostering gives me hope that Jon and I can make a difference to a child’s life.
Why I would recommend fostering with Swiis
I saw an advert for Swiis and made a call to them. They were happy to answer my questions and were genuine about what we were likely to experience as foster carers. That was the start of our journey.
Myself and my partner Jon highly recommend fostering through Swiis. The support from our supervising social worker Emma is above and beyond her job role. She has always answered our questions and got straight back to us with anything that we have needed. I cannot praise Swiis enough for the support that we have had right from the start and continue to get.
‘Communication is very good – we are updated through regular emails which offer us the chances to take part in activities. They include not just the foster child, but the whole family. Swiis support the whole family as a unit. What more can you ask for?’
‘The training that is offered is of an excellent standard, and I have yet to attend a session where I have not come out with new pieces of relevant knowledge. Training is interactive, so for someone like me who is dyslexic, I have no worries. They even produce handouts for me on my chosen coloured paper! So, if you are considering fostering, then please make Swiis your first choice.
If Tanith has inspired you to consider fostering, please make an informal enquiry and our team will be in touch.
For Foster Care Fortnight 2017 we’re celebrating not only how fostering transforms the lives of young people – but also the amazing foster carers who dedicate their lives to helping them.