Amanda and Stephen

From our initial enquiry with Family Care I cannot praise them enough.  I had looked into fostering the year before but I couldn’t find a company that had the same morals as we did, I wanted to feel safe and part of a family-run service and then I spoke to Matt on the phone as a general enquiry and every box was ticked for us.

They have a very friendly professional team but with so much more, they had everything covered from the expertise and resources to the training we needed to help us help the children we would be looking after, not many can offer that and trust me I had looked into it.

My other half wanted to foster although he was not looking forward to The Skills to Foster™ training, but we had already met the trainers and I knew it would be fine.  As always, I was correct - his words not mine!

We both learnt so much even after all the research we had done.  I never felt like anything went too fast, it was all explained in such a way that was true to life.  After the training was done, the assessment sessions were next.  Every stage was explained and every i dotted and t crossed, the whole process was made so very transparent and clear.

As we passed each stage my perspective totally changed as to how I thought about fostering.  I thought I could just love them all better and although unconditional affection is a massive part of it, we learnt that their needs would become our first priority, not ours.  Sometimes that is the hardest part.

Then we got to panel day.  Never have I been so stressed as I had never wanted anything more!  But the panel were so lovely and when we passed I wanted to kiss them all (I didn’t).  I don’t even remember the drive home the relief we felt was overwhelming and it took a few days to sink in that we had finally done it.

After being approved the placements team did their job and found perfect matches for us.  We were sent 2 referrals but they didn’t come to us, then after accepting our 3rd referral the local authority selected us and the children arrived the next morning.  All this just 3 weeks after passing panel.

We now have a 2-year-old boy and his 3-year-old sister and how my life has changed.  The first night my hubby said, “I’m nearly 50 and we have nappies again in our front room”!!

Life is good, my fosterlings are really coming on!  3 months in and smiles all round!!