Fostering a happy family

Eight-year-old Madison Evans is a natural at doing the mini-mum thing. And as she organises her extended family at her home in Telford, her brother Reece, 11, plays the joker, doing his utmost to make the whole household laugh.

For the Evans, family life is everything. Mum and dad Angela and Les are foster carers and together with their own two children, Reece and Madison, this means giving the other children they look after an opportunity to grow up in an ordinary environment.

And as the two children they are providing foster care for — a three-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl — settle down to watch an episode of Postman Pat in the living room, they certainly appear bright and happy.

In the last three years, Les, 46, and Angela, 38, have cared for 10 children — one as as young as two days old.

Until last week, they also looked after a year-old baby girl and say the hard part is saying goodbye to the children they care for when it is time for them to move on.

"We only had her for three months but it's still heartbreaking for everybody, " says Angela. "You get very attached and it's amazing how quiet it is in the house when they go, even though you are caring for others as well."

"Watching them grow and develop and seeing their personalities change is so satisfying. They bond with you."

Les adds: "It's love they need, and to be nurtured. A lot of the time they have been left to their own devices.

"They need stability and it's great to be able to give them that."

Their own children say they love their extended family. Angela adds: "The whole family is involved, including our children, and each one of us plays an absolutely crucial role."

She continues: "Fostering has become our way of life. Initially we were approved for one child, but as we grew in confidence, our approval was changed to two and more recently three children".

The Evans' story comes at a time where there is a shortage of carers across Shropshire. As part of the current Foster Care Fortnight, Telford & Wrekin has launched an appeal for local people to come forward and take up fostering, both as a "wise career move" and to help bridge shortages in foster care.

Nationally, there is a shortfall of more than 10,000 foster carers. On a local level, Telford and Wrekin hopes to recruit at least 100 new foster carers by the end of 2010.

And for families with varying commitments, there are three key areas within fostering which offer different degrees of care to young people: mainstream or full-time fostering, short breaks fostering aimed at providing breaks for disabled children and support for their family, and supportive lodgings — support and a temporary home for a teenager leaving foster care.

Exeperience

Angela and Les operate in the mainstream area of care — and for Angela it's an area in which she has had first hand experience since she was a girl.

Angela's parents also fostered, so she had first hand experience of growing up in the foster family environment.

She says: "I had the fondest memories of fostering as a child, and it always was at the back of my mind that one day I would do it myself once the circumstances for my own family were right".

The financial rewards are helpful too. Foster carers are given an allowance to cover the costs of caring for foster children. They also are paid a fee as a recognition and reward for the job they are doing.

Angela adds: "Fostering gave me an opportunity to leave my office job and start being at home and looking after my own children, rather than taking them to day care".

Nicola Johnson, from Telford, has spent the last three years as a short-break carer in the area of short breaks for disabled children, giving families respite care.

"I don't see it as a big deal or anything — it was just something I thought would be nice to do," says Nicola.

Nicola looks after Davina, an 11-year-old with learning difficulties, limited communication, and who sometimes exhibits challenging behaviour.

She says she always wanted to help children and their families because she had seen the benefits from her own family experience.

"Becoming a short-break carer myself just felt like a natural progression," she says, seemingly unfazed by juggling her role with full time work and being a single parent.

Davina is the youngest of four sisters. Her oldest sister, Nadine, explains what the breaks mean to the family. "When Davina is here, at home with us, it is a constant worry. Nicola gives us a break. It gives us a bit of time to ourselves".

It is widely believed that a short break from the demands of caring can prevent family breakdown and help to reduce the social isolation experienced by many children who have a disability.

Benefit family

Nadine agrees, saying that the breaks have benefited all of her family, but especially Davina, who gets more choices, experiences and independence. And Johnson feels that having Davina to stay broadens the experience of her own daughter, Ophelia, also aged 11.

Ophelia describes Davina as her "best friend". The girls clearly enjoy each other's company and Ophelia has helped Davina learn to count through playing board games such as Frustration.

"I like having someone to play with", Ophelia says. "It has opened my eyes to see that people with disabilities aren't that different to us".

And with great maturity, she adds: "I want to work with children with special needs, so this will give me the experiences I need to make that work".

There are 8,000 short break carers in the UK, ranging from people such as Nicola to others providing respite care one night a week so the child's mother can go out with friends and re-charge her batteries.

The bond that Nicola Johnson has with Davina is proof of just how rewarding the work can be.

Davina might not be able to say 'I've really had a fantastic day today' or 'I've really loved spending time with you,'" says Nicola. "The biggest thing I get from her is seeing her smiling, laughing and joking and her real deep belly laughs. Then I think 'That's it. Yeah, you've had a good day."

By Ben Bentley

Anyone interested in becoming a mainstream foster carer, a short breaks carer or a supportive lodgings provider can attend a drop-in session at the Whitehouse Hotel, Wellington, tomorrow, between 3pm and 7pm. For more information contact 01952 385888.