Mums reveal joy of fostering
Foster mums call on others to take in older children
TWO mums have encouraged others to get involved in fostering teenagers as part of a week-long campaign.
Aymie Brierley, who lives in Haslingden, has been a foster parent for nine years, and is encouraging others to get involved as part of a week-long campaign in Lancashire to find foster carers for older children and teenagers.
And Victoria Smithson, a teacher at Haslingden High School, has also been a foster parent for 17 years.
Having fostered older children and teenagers for the past six years Aymie, 33, along with husband Adam, currently fosters two girls aged 12 and 14.
Lancashire County Council is currently looking after 1,937 children, but the council still needs to find around 11 places every week for the children and young people it cares for with an emphasis on finding homes for older children and teenagers.
Aymie, who became interested in fostering when working as a nursery nurse and a teaching assistant when she was 24, said fostering older children can be a truly rewarding experience.
“There’s an increase for placements for older children and teenagers and I think it’s because people are often scared about looking after older children and teenagers, but you can develop such strong relationships with them at a crucial time,” she said.
“They often settle into the new environments a lot quicker, the teenagers, because they realise what’s going on a lot better than the little ones.
“They are more independent but they like having the knowledge that someone cares about them, because often they haven’t had that.”
Aymie began fostering after seeing foster children during her work as a nursery nurse and teaching assistant and wanting to help.
She has since gone on to have parent & baby placements and baby placements, as well as fostering older children and teenagers alongside Adam.
“We absolutely love it,” said Aymie.
“We’ve got a good network of support within the fostering community and there’s always somebody there to help you out. For nine and a bit years it’s been a positive experience.”
The pair’s current young people are girls and Aymie said it has been wonderful to see them grow in confidence during their time at her home.
Aymie said: “We’ve had them for four and a bit years now and it is so rewarding. When they first came into the house they were quite shy, scared and intimidated.
“To see them grow from shy, troubled children and to give them that stability, that home for them, is absolutely fantastic.
“With our girls they’ve just blossomed; they are doing really well due to having a secure, stable home.”
Aymie is encouraging others from all backgrounds to try fostering.
“Just come forward and try it out,” she said. “It’s not as scary as you may think it would be for an older child. They just need that support at a crucial time.
“Don’t be scared of having an older child, just take it in your stride and it will be the best thing you’ve ever done because you’ll see them coming on leaps and bounds.”
Having fostered more than 15 children and teenagers, Victoria Smithson, 44, has been with her current young person for six years as part of a permanent placement.
Victoria, whose current young person is 14, says fostering older children can be truly rewarding.
She said: “Most of the children I’ve fostered have been teens simply because they’re often the ones people make assumptions that they’re going to be harder to look after. They’re just brilliant company, teenagers. They’re their own people and they’re wonderful characters.
“My main message is that there are children and teenagers who deserve and want a family home and it reminded me why my husband and I do what we do.”
Victoria began fostering when she was 27 and a single, full-time teacher living in Scarborough. She has since moved to Church after meeting husband James, 47, to be closer to family.
Their current teen was shortlisted for the Positive Choices Award at the Lancashire Social Services Proud Celebration awards.
“When I first applied I really didn’t think I’d be accepted,” said Victoria, who works as an English teacher at Haslingden High.
“It was something I always wanted to do and as a teacher I knew that teenagers were not as scary as some people seem to think!”
Victoria added that she has been able to help her current young person
“It will be the best thing you’ve ever done”
towards his life goals. She said: “He’s always wanted to be a zookeeper so we’ve taken him to the zookeeper experience days at Blackpool Zoo and looked at different colleges.
“He’s got this aim in life and for us to be able to put things in place to get that life goal is just super exciting.”
As a foster parent who began on her own, Victoria said everyone has something to offer to children who need care.
She said: “Everyone has a different reason for wanting to help out and what they can bring to a foster child. I went to the panel and got approved and two weeks later I had my first placement which was a six-yearold little boy - and it’s been the best thing I’ve ever done.
“There’s so many different types of placements and so many children need different types of home that everyone’s got something to offer.”
The older children and teenagers recruitment campaign runs until Sunday, August 15. Foster carers will have support available from the council’s fostering team 24/7 and an allowance of between £250 and £428 per week for each child they care for.
To find out more visit: www. lancashire. gov. uk/ fostering or call 0300 123 6723.