I recommended my friend joined FCA to become a foster parent too

Single foster parent Maree has been fostering with FCA for over seven years now. Here is her fostering story.

I have two birth children who are now grown up. My son has special needs but now lives independently and my daughter is married with a two year old girl. We are a very close family and they provide me with a lot of love and support in my fostering journey.

Before I was a foster parent I worked in a special needs school for 20 years, this gave me a lot of experience of working with young people with learning difficulties. After my Dad passed away, I decided I needed a change. My daughter always knew I wanted to foster a special needs child, so suggested now was a good time to make the move into fostering.

I did some research and looked at a few fostering agencies but I liked what I had read about FCA and the support they offer and I knew they were the agency for me. Since I started fostering I have had one young boy who came to me when he was five years old. He has special needs and has been with me for five years and he is now a permanent placement.

FCA have been great and I have received a lot of support over the years. I have always had a great relationship with my social worker and they go out their way to offer me help and advice if I need it.

If I had to sum up my time as a foster parent I would say it’s certainly challenging and tiring but apart from having my own children, it’s the best thing I have ever done! I have had so many great experiences with my young person, from the first time he reacted to his name, the first time he cuddled me, playing with my granddaughter to helping me share my fostering experiences with you today. Fostering really is a rewarding career!

I even recommended my friend Sam and her husband to FCA as potential foster parents. I worked with Sam in a special needs school and had seen her with the children. I just knew she would be a great foster parent. After discussing my fostering journey with them, they decided to look into fostering with FCA too.

As an FCA foster parent you can be part of our Refer a Friend scheme, if you know someone whose star quality shines through, tell them about FCA.  If they become an approved foster parent with us, you as the referrer could receive up to £3,000 (terms and conditions apply).