how long have you been fostering and how long have you been with Nexus Fostering?
Our names are Mandy and Garry and we have been approved as foster carers since September 2018.
how many children/ young people have you fostered?
In November 2018 we took our first full time placement (a sibling group of 3) aged between 0-3 years. This was an emergency placement and the siblings ended up arriving with us late in the evening. They were very tried and confused upon arrival. We settled them in and then had a mad dash to Tesco!
Before our first full time placement we did some outreach and respite for a nine year old girl and some respite for a week for two teenage girls, which was great experienced beforehand.
what are the main challenges of fostering a sibling group?
Making sure that they are all getting enough equal time. We also have 4 grown up birth children who have been very helpful and have supported us with the children.
what do you think the benefits are for siblings to be fostered together?
The benefits are that they feel more comfortable with one another and seek reassurance from one another because that is all that they have ever known. I think that coming into care may be less daunting for them because they have one another and perhaps feel comforted in that.
what is your fondest memory from one of your placements, or a particular success story you would like to share?
With the nine year old girl that I provided outreach and respite for, I encouraged her to enjoy chocolate and savour every minute of it. She had a very sweet tooth so this helped her take her time with it and take her time to enjoy it.
what tips would you give to someone expecting their first sibling placement?
Try to allow time for each and every one of the siblings and also you need to be very organised!
if you could describe fostering siblings in 3 words, what would they be?
Rewarding, challenging and satisfying.
Being able to keep a young sibling group of 3 together is very satisfying as they love one another, and they need to be together.
why did you choose to foster with Nexus Fostering and how have they supported you in your fostering journey?
I came across one of the stands at Tesco and then we began our fostering journey. We see our supervising social worker every other week and she even supported us (on the phone) at 10pm when we took our emergency placement. She came out the next day to see us as it was initially very overwhelming. I want everyone to know how supportive Nexus are.
if you think you could help a sibling group, or any child, Nexus Fostering offer full training and support, so get in touch today!