Jamie's Story - Growing up as part of a fostering family

• Fostering Stories
• Tags: Sons and Daughters Month

Foster carer's birth children play a huge role in helping foster children feel welcomed into the family home.

During Son's and Daughter's month we spoke to Jamie about what it's like growing up as part of a fostering family.

When his family started fostering he was six years old and his sister Anna was eight years old.  From the beginning, their parents Phil and Helenor encouraged them to be open and honest about how they felt.  This helped them develop an open and trusting relationship. Throughout their time fostering, Jamie's family have fostered seven children and adopted one.

"It has made me and my sister much better people, I'm sure my sister would agree"

- Jamie

Coming from a fostering family has helped Jamie learn and grow as an individual. Jamie told us that certain life skills like, flexibility and understanding have came to him naturally through fostering from a young age.

It has assisted in him being able to understand the reasons behind a child's behaviour, and not jump straight to the conclusion that that child is 'naughty'.

Jamie also told us how he thinks that fostering has brought their family together, even though sometimes he's had to put the foster child's needs before his own.

“At times you have just got to put that child first, because no one has before. That’s the job of the family, to put that child first which they haven’t experienced yet and It’s what everyone deserves”

"It's not easy but its easier than people think."

- Jamie