Could you be a foster carer like Claire?

Being a Leeds City Council foster carer can be an incredibly rewarding experience, with carers supporting a young person during the most important years of their life. We are always looking for more people to help improve the lives of our city’s looked after young people, you can find out more about the process by getting in contact with our fostering team.

Today we hear the story of Claire, one of our foster carers, who tells us what fostering means to them…

(For the purpose of confidentiality a stock image has been used and names have been changed)

“I became a foster carer seven years ago. My own children had grown up so we had a bit of space in the house and we missed having that buzz about the place that children bring. My partner and I talked about it for a while off and on, then I got made redundant and that seemed like a nudge to actually go and do it.

“We’ve had quite a few children come and go over the years, they all bring their own challenges but they bring their own joys too. I can’t imagine not being a foster carer now. You get an allowance to help you meet your costs plus a little more but it’s the satisfaction you get from knowing you’re helping someone, a child, who’s having a tough time get through it. That’s the real reward. Sharing the difficulties in life with someone is what really makes a relationship, and however brief their stay with us, I feel privileged to have been there to help each of them along the way.

“What I’d say to anyone thinking about fostering, or who enjoys having children in their life, is go and find out more. Speak to some existing carers, get in touch with the council’s fostering team, and go along to the information events. They were great with us, gave us advice and information with no pressure and they supported us right through the application and approval process.

“I remember the nerves I had the day our first child arrived, I think I was more nervous than he was! But I’ve never looked back.”

We currently have around 600 foster carers and are looking for more people – like you – to help improve the lives of our cities young people.

To register your interest leave us your details here and we’ll get back to you, or call us on: 0113 247 7443.  

You can find all the information you need about foster caring for Leeds at: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/foster4leeds/Pages/default.aspx