Corinna is the daughter of dedicated foster carers, Lynne and Steve from Conwy, who recently won a prestigious With fostering excellence award for their exceptional contributions to foster care.
As the family celebrate their outstanding achievement, we have also just celebrated Children of Foster Carers month, raising awarenss of the vital contribution the children of foster carers play in a fostering household.
Corinna shares her own experiences of being part of a fostering family and how she supports her parents with fostering teenagers.
How did you feel when your parents started fostering?
I remember feeling very proud of my parents for making the decision to become foster carers, for opening their doors to others who needed a warm and caring family home. Although I was an adult at the time, I was also excited for being part of this new journey, along with being a little apprehensive too. My parents had always involved all of us in their decissions about becoming foster carers.
Tell us a bit about being part of a fostering family?
Being part of a fostering family is something really special indeed. Fostering is so much more than “just a job”. My parents do it because they are humble, caring and empathetic people, with a passion for providing love and support to young people in need.
I feel so lucky to have them as my parents, and for the bigger family we have now become.
Fostering comes with its challenges of course, but you learn so much about life and how to overcome difficult situations as a family. It also makes you value and appreciate your family and upbringing.
What did you do to help your parents with fostering?
I’ve always tried to be the best big sister that the young people in our care have needed. I’d help them settle in, listen to them, support them and sometimes, have some difficult conversations with them.
I find that the little moments, such as just listening to them, have been the most powerful moments.
How did you welcome a new child to your home?
It's actually quite overwhelming for everyone involved when a new young person arrives. It is important to be caring, kind and welcoming to make them feel at ease. You need to be considerate of how they are feeling as they step into a strangers house for the first time. Put yourself in their shoes - I can only ever imagine how difficult it is for them. To help them settle in, I’d offer their favourite drinks, snacks, films – whatever they need to feel at home. Quite often, they just need their own space for a bit, so you learn to honour this.
How do you feel when foster children move on?
With every young person that we have cared for, I feel super proud that we have done everything in our power and beliefs to support them as best as we possibly could. Hopefully, we have help guide them into the next part of their lives. It is often a sad time when they leave, especially when the bond is strong. But we have kept in touch with most of them and they are still a very big part of our family, which is something very special.
As an adult with your own career, are there any transferable skills you have gained by being involved in fostering?
Being part of a fostering family teaches you so many vital life skills, such as empathy and patience, listening and communicating. Fostering is also about teamwork and after seeing how well we have supported each other as a family, I would certainly consider fostering in the future.
