One Big Family: The story of Angela and Mark*
Josh Brightmore - 28th March 2023
In previous discussions with Angela and Mark we’ve explored how Eastern Fostering Services supported them through their initial journey to become foster parents, but, in my latest chat with them we looked at how they fared after all of the initial excitement of their first match with their first foster child. Angela and Mark have been foster carers for Eastern Fostering Services for a number of years now. Those years have been full of wonder and challenge, but throughout it all, the “family” that they describe to me (made up of Eastern Fostering Services staff and other Eastern Fostering Services foster carers) has helped them navigate through it all. “The first thing that comes to mind is the training they
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The Panel: The story of Angela and Mark*
Josh Brightmore - 3rd February 2023
“It’s only now that they’ve gone that we’re re-discovering all these little notes from them. It’s so heart-warming”. Talking to Angela and Mark about their first foster-child – Alex* – I’m struck by the warmth they still have for them, and while it wasn’t always a bed of roses, they both seem to be incredibly enriched by the experience – both the good and the bad. I had expected Angela and Mark to tell me that the process of finally being approved as foster carers – by a panel including a previously fostered person, foster carers, local authority staff and staff from Eastern Fostering Services – was at least a little bit nerve-wracking. But Angela assures me that this wasn’t
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The Road to Panel: “Nobody has the perfect background”
James Roderick - 19th August 2022
When I last met with Angela and Mark they had just begun fostering their second child and they’re expecting to become grandparents (again) any day now. Their first fostering placement lasted many years, but, when we spoke, they took me back to the process of being approved as foster carers over eight years ago. “It took us two years from our first assessment to being approved as foster carers,” Mark explains, “but that was because at that time in our lives we had so much going on that we wanted to take it slow”. They were supported by Eastern Fostering Services in going at a speed that was right for them: “after all, it’s important for the child that the
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The Fostering Journey: The story of Angela and Mark*
James Roderick - 13th July 2022
“Are you sure you want to do that”? Angela and Mark’s* fostering journey began nearly a decade ago. They are both keen to share the story of their journey with Eastern Fostering Services in order to help others who may be thinking about fostering find out what it’s really like. This is the first in what we hope will be a series of blog posts in which they talk to me about their experience. When I first met Angela and Mark I was really struck by how warm, friendly and relaxed they both are – though they assure me that the fostering experience, while one they both say has been richly rewarding, hasn’t always been the most relaxing experience! Now
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