Meet Melissa and Kyle

Melissa
Melissa is 13 years old and a typical teenager. She enjoys music, particularly ‘boybands’ and shopping for clothes. Melissa has mostly lived at home with her mum and sister (who has learning disabilities). Melissa’s mum is unwell, and Melissa has been relied on to help care for her mum and sister. Things aren’t going so well at home at the moment, and there have been arguments. Melissa needs a regular break for 2 weekends a month to give all the family a break from one another. Is this the sort of fostering that would fit into your family?

Kyle
At 10 years old Kyle is a keen footballer and plays for the under 11’s team at school. He has been living with his foster carers for a year and due to previous harm is not able to return home to live with his birth family. Kyle enjoys the company of other children and hopes his long term home will have boys near to his age. . . preferably enough for a football team! Kyle has experienced difficult times in his birth family, although he and his Mum will need to keep in touch. Could you offer a long term home to a boy like Kyle?

What Gemma and David think about being fostered

Gemma had previous experience of life in a Residential Home
"I prefer being in foster care than being in a Residential home cos' you feel like you're with a family that cares about you as an individual rather than being one of a group of young people being looked after by people who come 'on' or 'off' their 'shifts'.  I'd rather be home with my parents, but I know that can't happen at the moment.

When I arrived at my foster carers, I was really nervous. My foster carers made me feel really welcome and showed me round the place - including where the toilet was which was good, cos' I really needed to go!

After I'd dropped my stuff off in my room, we had a drink and a chat.  We talked about loads; like which foods and sports that I like and dislike and when I usually get up and when I go to bed, on a school night and at the weekends. They reassured me that if I was unsure of anything to just ask and we could talk about it."

David’s thoughts on being fostered
"When I first heard I’d be staying with my carers I didn't want to go and the police had to be called to get me there. That was about four years ago and I’m still with them.  

Being in foster care's not ideal and sometimes there's absolutely nothing to do.  But I've made some good mates locally and we all get on like 'normal' teenagers do - we have a laugh!

My carers are really fighting my corner at school at the moment as my options didn't turn out like they should've! They're alright I suppose, my carer's.  Well they'd have to be – for a start, they put up with me!  I'm glad they get on with my mum because it means that when I go and see her and my relatives things are sorted easily and when I either just want to chat or if I do have something to say they listen."