Sitting on the floor at the top of the supermarket escalator, I waited patiently as Michael*, nine, screamed and thrashed about, having a full-blown tantrum.
I tried to ignore the stares of passing shoppers, who were confused as to why I wasn’t attempting to control his behaviour. I knew what they were thinking – that he looked too old to be carrying on like that – but they didn’t know his background or the trauma he’d suffered.
As his foster carer, it was my job to be a calming presence and guide Michael through his overwhelming emotions, without judgement.
Michael is just one of the 60 children I’ve cared for over the last 16 years and, while it isn’t without its challenges, fostering is incredibly rewarding.
I was a police officer when I met my firefighter husband Paul while out on a job. We soon settled down in the Lake District and got married. We’d always wanted children, and wasted no time starting a family.
Our daughter Georgina was born in 2001, followed by Leonie in 2003. It was when the girls were just five and two that we made the life-changing decision to open up our home and our hearts to other children in need.
Fostering had always appealed to us, but it actually came about by accident. Through my job, I often worked with vulnerable people and was always more interested in helping them, rather than dealing with punishing offenders.
One day, while at a meeting with other agencies, I heard about a family in desperate need of support, and felt compelled to act.
‘If you’re ever stuck, give us a shout,’ I said casually to Shirley, a social worker, afterwards.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 28, 2022 من WOMAN'S OWN.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة March 28, 2022 من WOMAN'S OWN.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 8500 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
MY JOB MADE ME FAT!
Pastry chef Catriona Kalmanovitch, 38, loved indulging in her own creations
TAKEN BY PURE EVIL
Lynnette Williams, 62, will never be able to forgive the man who robbed her daughter of a future
'IT'S DIFFICULT'
The star admits her relationships have been 'hard'
HOW BAD IS YOUR DIET?
Rachel Tompkins, 44, found her family consumes far too much ultra-processed food, so she decided action
I MOVED BACK HOME AT 41
Karen Hitchen, 54, explains the best things about being a boomeranger
DISGRACED TEACHERS BEHIND BARS
We take a look at the female teachers risking it all for relationships with their pupils
BEAT HAY FEVER FOR FREE!
Relieve symptoms and put a spring back in your step without spending a penny
MIND OF MY OWN
The Woman's Own columnist has her say on cigarettes, bras and toilet habits
HOLIDAY DEALS
Bag a bargain this summer with these amazing summer destinations
DINNERS FOR DIETERS!
Healthy eating is easy with these hearty midweek meals