‘I reckon it definitely keeps us young’

ANOTHER couple who made the switch from private fostering agency to working with the city council are Derby couple Mark and Julie Greer.

They have been fostering for 12 years altogether – 10 of them privately – and made the switch after attending a fostering information evening run by the city council.

Mark said: “We had stopped working with the agency and decided to take a break for three months but in truth we missed having children around.

“Everyone told us how good the city council fostering system was and even the way payments were made was much clearer. The children have a social worker and we have a social worker and we can always get help from an on-call person even at weekends.”

The couple have fostered a number of children including a six-year-old “with issues” with whom they experienced a “baptism of fire” but did not want to elaborate further.

Mark, 56, said: “Then we fostered a 14-year-old and found that a good experience where communication was easier and we could work with the child on navigating relationships, being independent and explaining more about hygiene and food to them,

“We also had twins from the age of 15 to 20 and one of them has stayed on and is now 24.

“Currently, we have three female siblings aged eight, nine and 12. They have been with us since June and have settled in well despite their past trauma. I don’t know how long they will stay but we are here for them as long as we are needed – they keep in touch with their birth parents once a month.”

Other previous foster children dropped in over the Christmas period, making it a very merry time for everyone, according to Mark. He and Julie, 55, have two children of their own.

He added: “Our children are so on board with what we do and I reckon it definitely keeps us young.”