Jen and Damian

Before fostering we worked full time. I worked for a global company and Damian worked as a manager for a truck parts company. In addition, we also ran a children’s club for 9 years at a local church we attended near a local council estate.

Before deciding to apply to be foster carers we had always volunteered with groups that worked with children. We found we especially enjoyed working with children who may not have always had an easy start in life.

For 8 consecutive years, we spent our summers in Romania working with street children or taking part in summer camps up in Taut, with children from deprived areas and with troubled backgrounds. We also spent time living in their communities building up relationships with their families too.

Our motivation to foster was simple…could we proving a safe, secure loving home? Yes we could.

Our son had left home for university, we had a spare room and it was always something we had been interested in. Ultimately our goal was to be the last family a child in care would have; only leaving us to go on to independent living or to an adoptive family.

We found the assessment process, interesting, challenging and rewarding. Family Care were brilliant and supported us every step of the way. The insight into our own lives and life experiences provided by the assessment really helped to prepare us for our journey into fostering.

Being foster carers make us feel blessed and very honored to be able to encourage, develop, support and love a young person.

It’s a challenging job but the reward in seeing your young person grow and thrive is priceless.