Lucy Stevens - 28th April 2018
Hi, I’m Tracy. I’m from Suffolk. I’m a single parent of 2 (now adult) girls. I began fostering in 2012, when my daughters were in their 20s. I’d always wanted to foster and had worked as a childminder and nanny so I knew it was something I had relevant skills and experience for. Once my girls were independent, I finally had the time and energy to devote to fostering and so, very much as a family, we decided to go for it.
Initially, I wanted to foster young children (under 5s) and indeed the first child I looked after was just 3 years old. But soon, I began to reflect on how much relevant experience I had through raising my own girls and I could see the level of need amongst teens in Suffolk. Through Eastern Fostering Services, I’d done a lot of training on teen issues, behaviour and brain development and an interest had been sparked!
I cared for 3 teenage girls before welcoming my current child, a 15 year old boy. As my daughters now live independently, it’s just him, my 2 dogs, 2 cats and me. Never a dull moment!
I’m really glad that I kept an open mind and decided to try fostering teens. I feel so passionately that it is never too late to make an impact on a child’s life. There are so many teens who are in need of a nurturing home and who are very responsive to foster care. As a society, I don’t think we’re as sympathetic or kind towards teenagers as we should be, but I have found them to be truly rewarding; they have definitely enriched my life.
Many people come into fostering with a desire to care for babies or young children but I would say keep an open mind. The realities of fostering can be very different to what you might imagine and you may discover strengths and skills you hadn’t recognised in yourself. Eastern Fostering Services have been particularly supportive in helping me to recognise where my skills lie. They’ve listened to me and been mindful of my needs and wishes which has led to some really good matching ensuring that my fostering experience and that of the children has been positive and rewarding.