Fiona has fostered over 15 children in her six-years as a foster carer for Foster Care Associates (FCA), many of whom still consider her and her husband Paul to be part of their family.
Having grown up in the care system herself, Fiona always knew she wanted to foster children and give them the childhood they deserve. She currently fosters four brothers, all aged six and below, who are brought up alongside her birth children, a 13-year-old son, eight-year-old daughter, and a 10-year-old daughter, who has learning and physical disabilities.
In addition to the seven children, 18-year-old Shannon also lives with the family after she was fostered by Fiona as a child.
As well as Mother’s Day cards, Fiona thinks she’ll be set to receive gifts of flowers, chocolates, and pictures of the children. In the past she has also received presents from children who she previously looked after and from their new families.
It’s not hard to see why Mother’s Day is one of her favourite days of the year. This Mother’s Day is set to be the same as always- Fiona cooking a roast lamb dinner for all her family, including some of her previous foster children, bringing as many as 16 people to the table. The whole family then relax on the sofa together to watch films.
Fiona said: “I love Mother’s Day, though it gets harder every year to find space for all the presents and cards! “My most rewarding moment as a foster carer came on Mother’s Day a few years ago, when Shannon, who wasn’t living with me at the time, sent me a handwritten Mother’s Day card. It really meant a lot that she took the time to do so, and now she lives with me full time as an adult. It’s great to have impacted someone’s life so much. My birth children see her as an older sister and adore her and their four brothers”.
Life for Fiona and her family is never dull. Every day Fiona takes six children to four different schools, and gets through 84 pints of milk, 14 loaves of bread, 70 bananas and 28 industrial-sized loads of washing every week!
