Tameside Foster Carers Share How Fostering Transforms the Lives of Local Children

FOSTER Carers in Tameside are supporting the recruitment drive to encourage more local people to foster children and young people aged 0-18 this Foster Care Fortnight (9 to 22 May 2022).

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko30cMJZMa4

In a brand new #FosterforTameside video campaign, four Tameside Council foster families share their stories of how they became foster carers, and how their lives have changed since.

Daughters of foster carers Gillian and Paul Naylor, Georgia, 9 and Isabelle, 7 also share their own personal message to the children their family has cared for over the past few years with a song about fostering that they wrote themselves.

Foster Carers Lisa Taylor and Ashleigh Hughes talk of how they met at a foster carer support group, and “have been best friends ever since”. Together with their families, they have transformed the lives of 20 children between them. Ashleigh said “For me, it means we have an extra person (or two people) to love”.

“To see them grow in confidence and blossom is amazing” Lisa says, while foster carer Jennifer Nash shares that: “It's great when you see a child settle and relax and start being themselves”.

Carer Colin White, who has fostered for 25 years, adds: “The biggest enjoyment is seeing them thrive and change. Seeing their lives change, smiling again, laughing again and enjoying life again.”

Talking about why he became a foster carer together with his wife Shelley, Andrew Vaughan says:  “For me, it’s being able to give those children opportunities that they wouldn’t have had.”

Shelley emphasises that there is no typical foster carer, “Don’t worry about not being the 2:4 children household, it doesn’t matter.” Andrew adds: “If you’ve got a spare room, some time and compassion, that’s all you really need… it’s not the easiest job in the world. But sometimes it can’t half be the most rewarding.”

Ali Stathers-Tracey, Director of Children’s Services at Tameside Council said: “Our foster carers play such an important role in the lives of our children and young people every day, giving them the best start in life so they can reach their potential and go on to achieve their dreams. This foster care fortnight I would like to thank our foster carers for the amazing job they do, helping local children to stay in their communities.”

Anyone who would like find out more about fostering for Tameside and how to help provide a safe and stable home for a local child or young person should visit www.tameside.gov.uk/fostering or call 0161 342 2342 today.

You can watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko30cMJZMa4