Hartlepool foster Mum calls for more people to consider foster care
As part of Foster Care Fortnight, two of our carers, Jean and Hossein are sharing their story in the hope it will inspire more people to consider foster care.
Jean and her husband Hossein, have been fostering for three and half years and specialise in parent and child placements, which involves looking after a young parent and their baby, on a short-term basis, to help them stay together as a family unit and help the young people develop the skills they need to look after their little ones.
Jean initially provided respite care to children, a type of short-term, emergency care and this led to her being encouraged to study the specific training needed to take on parent and child placements, where there is a real shortage of carers across the UK.
Speaking about why she trained to look after parent and child placements, Jean said: “When I was an anti-social behaviour officer, I’d work with so many kids who came from turbulent backgrounds. Parents would have alcohol issues, gambling problems or difficulties with their mental health and that would lead to their children’s negative behaviour. I wanted to break that cycle in some way and by helping vulnerable young parents I can help them find the stability and support they need to look after their child and raise them in a happy family environment, helping, where possible, to keep them together as a family unit.”
Having cared for more than twenty young people since becoming a foster carer, Jean says that the key to being a good foster parent is to help those in her care look positively towards the future. She said: “It’s human nature to always want to fix the past of the children in your care, but you can’t ever fix that. I think the best way I can help the young people I care for is by guiding them to focus on their futures and what they want to achieve. All I want is for them to live happier lives, so I try and steer them in the right direction.
“When you see the people you’ve cared for living fulfilled lives it’s incredibly rewarding. Seeing a young parent I have helped live independently feels like a big accomplishment and I feel like I’ve played a little part in their success.”
For more information on foster care contact Five Rivers Child Care on 0345 266 0272 or email carer.enquiries@five-rivers.org.