Jo's story

Jo, a foster carer gives us an insight into what life looks like for her as she cares for a young girl experiencing health challenges. She says having little children around is 'like inviting love into her life’.

How do your mornings usually start?

Slowly. I'm not a morning person.

Tea or Coffee?

Tea.

What is the first cereal or spread to run out in your household?

Peanut butter.

What takes up most of your day?

Playing with my little one.

You leave the house, and a child has forgotten something. What’s it most likely to be?

Her hat.

Do you head to any outside-school activities?

The little one participates in lots of activities to overcome some developmental delays after a very long hospital stay as a baby.

What is your least favourite type of homework?

Her therapy homework centres around play so we love all of it!

What is your evening routine like?

It's grumpy time—we're all hungry and tired so we slow down, eat dinner together, have a bath and read a story before singing lullabies together and putting the little one to bed. It's a great way to change grumpy time to family time.

What’s your favourite thing to do when you have free time?

What free time??

What’s the children’s current favourite show to watch?

Anything with bunnies in it.

What’s the most common excuse you hear from the children explaining why they’re out of bed?

She's too little to sleep in a bed yet.

How did you feel when the children in your care arrived to stay with you?

I'm always excited even after 28 beautiful children coming and going from our care.

What are the children’s greatest strengths or skills?

The ability to trust and love a new adult in their life from the get-go.

What are some of the ways you keep the children connected to family or culture?

We might do a drawing or paint a picture or pick a flower so that we've got something to share with mum or dad when we see them, and we include the family in our prayers every night.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

To stay young. I could look after a room full of kids when I was younger and now 2 seem to be about my limit thanks to getting older.

If you could have 3 wishes for your children in care, what would they be?

• To feel safe.
• To know love.
• To remember that they are worth it no matter what happens.

How would you sum up being a foster carer in one word or sentence?

Heart expanding.

If you could say one thing to encourage other people to become a carer like you, what would it be?

Yes, you will miss them when they're gone but you've given them the gift of love and that's exactly what they needed from you.

How has being a foster carer impacted your life?

I didn't know that little ones with special needs were angels in disguise until I became a carer of babies with complex medical needs. Goodbye retirement and hello to lots of cuddles, moments of pure joy when hard earned milestones are reached, and finding the strength to walk hand in hand with the little one in your care as they meet what life has in store for them head on.

Do you have a favourite story or special memory about a moment where you could see that you’ve made an impact in a child’s life?

We looked after a little boy with some very special needs who had life-limiting health issues. When it was his turn to get his angel wings, he lay peacefully in my arms as I told him it was ok to go. His passing was free of fear and of pain and he was never alone in those last few weeks. I think that he knew that he was loved and would always be loved in this life and the next, and that we would never forget him.

Name one thing (or more) a child in your care has specifically thanked you for.

We had a little girl in our care who would always ask who had made dinner. And she would always thank that person by stating that they were “the best cooker”. Loved it!

Why do you do it (fostering)?

When I first started fostering it was in order to share a loving home with little ones who needed a family until their own family healed. After nearly 10 years I would say that having little children around is like inviting love into your life. Every little milestone reached is as precious as when my own children took their first steps, said their first word, or said 'love you' for the first time. Watching these little people grow and learn and flourish because they are loved is the greatest reward. It fills my heart.