Fostering has been great for our family

Ruth* and her husband were still working when they first discussed fostering. "We approached an agency but they didn't turn up for the appointment and we didn't pursue it at the time. Then a few years ago I was made redundant and the decision was made."

The couple saw that Norfolk County Council was advertising for foster carers and made contact. "From the moment we made the call, the council has been so supportive. The staff are very approachable and make us feel valued. I wish we'd spoken to them when we first thought about it - we could have started earlier."

They were approved as foster carers in 2020 and have since cared for three children. The experience has had its challenges but has been very rewarding. "The positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Children can be withdrawn when they first arrive - it's such a difficult time for many of them. But providing a safe environment, getting that first smile and seeing a happy child emerging, you know you're making a difference."

Sometimes foster carers may feel they don't have enough experience under their belt to deal with complex situations. "We looked after our first child as he moved from fostering into adoption. Sadly, that didn't work out and he came back to us. He was very traumatised and this was made worse as by then, we had two more children in the house. It was a heart wrenching situation - we couldn't fix it for the little one. But our supervising social worker gave us lots of support and encouraged us to continue with our training. We know she's at the end of the phone whenever we need advice."

The couple have two daughters and five grandchildren. "Everyone has embraced the situation and welcomed the children into the family. Our grandchildren have become more thoughtful - they realise how lucky they are and that things can be different for other children. We do lots of things together - fostering has been great for our family."

*Names have been changed to conceal identity

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