Sylvia and Everton have been fostering for over 10 years and have helped make a difference to many children's lives. Read their story here.
We have been fostering with Capstone for over 10 years and it is the best job in the world because we love seeing the difference we make to so many young people’s lives. We decided to become foster carers when we wanted a change in career, our previous jobs weren’t giving us the enjoyment we were craving, and we knew fostering would be much more rewarding.
When we told our friends and family that we were going to start fostering they were worried about how challenging it would be for us but once they got to know more about it, they were all excited for us. They can see how happy we are now and have met the amazing children we have had the honour of caring for and they now know why we wanted to start fostering. Hopefully more people will start fostering from seeing the difference we have made to children’s lives.
When our first placement was due to arrive, it was very nerve-wracking, and we were unsure if they would like us or not! The placement was a long-term placement and we cared for them for over 10 years so there were many challenging times as they entered their teenage years, but we wouldn’t change a thing. We have seen them grow up and become wonderful young adults and seeing them go out and do well in the world makes this the best job ever. We have never had that satisfaction from other roles but with fostering we can see how our care has helped these children flourish into the best version of themselves.
Whenever we get asked to describe what the best thing about fostering is, we always struggle to answer that question as there are so many positives but if we had to choose, we would say the best thing about fostering is giving a child the chance to experience a caring family life. Allowing them into our family and showing them that they are worthy of love and helping them make new happy memories is why we love fostering. At times it does not feel like a job because of how rewarding it is.
Many children come into foster care thinking that they will never be loved, and it is their fault for their situation but as a foster carer we always make sure they know we care about them and will always be there for them. It has been a wonderful experience watching the children grow and develop life changing skills that they can use as adults. Our whole family love the children like they are our own and watching their smiles of happiness as they bond with our family reassures us that they are happy with us and are starting to let go of the mentality that they are unlovable. Our home is always open for them even when they embark on their own journeys and we look forward to seeing what they go on to achieve in the future.
We did not know what to expect when going into fostering and we learned as we went along but the help and support from Capstone has been amazing. The extra support and training sessions have really helped us progress as foster carers and allow us to provide the best care possible. Our whole family has really benefited from us fostering, our birth children love being introduced as brothers to the children we care for and make a real effort to bond with them all. The children we have cared for look up to our birth children as role models and it is so heart-warming to see the strong connections they have built over time.
We would most definitely recommend Capstone to anyone who is thinking about fostering! The support and training we have received since we started our fostering journey have been out of this world. You are never alone and there is always someone at the end of the phone no matter what the time is. The Capstone team are always so quick at responding with great information or advice in times when you need them the most. It would be lovely to see more people start fostering as there are so many children out there who need a loving home and require our care to help them do better in life.
Start the conversation today. Our team of friendly advisors are on hand to answer any foster care questions you may have. We can offer you honest and practical advice that can help you decide if becoming a foster carer is the right path for you.
