Celebrating Lynn and Saied after 10 years of fostering

• Fostering Stories

Lynn and Saied have fostered with Liverpool for ten years and during that time they've looked after over twenty babies, siblings and teenagers as well as children on an emergency basis.

They share their reflections as they come to the end of their time fostering. 

"Saied and I were ecstatic when we were approved as foster carers in 2013.  Since then, we have looked after over twenty children and babies.  There have been many tears, excitement, and celebrations over the years, and we have loved it.

The thought of being able to be there for a child who needed us, who needed someone they could count on to provide a loving, caring home and offer them normality and a routine, is exactly what we wanted to do.

We’ve enjoyed celebrating Christmas, birthdays and involving all the family to create memories for the children to look back on.  I won’t pretend there aren’t hard times but with the support from family support workers and our social worker Martin, who’s been committed to us for the last ten years, it was plain sailing.

These children and babies, they never asked to be in care and we have made a difference. There’s lots of support and help that is offered through training support groups and you meet new friends.

If we were younger, I would be doing this job for a lot longer, but due to commitments with my family and not being able to fulfil me wished with these children – to be more engaged and active with them – we have done as much as we can and ended on a high."

• "The children who we've cared for have been the centre of our world. Each child is different but the love, care and commitment is the same and is important to us. Their journey is so important to us, we worry just like we do with our own grown-up children and grandchildren, we go on their journey with them." Lynn and Saied

Lynn and Saied’s social worker Martin has supported them in their role since day one!

Martin told us “On my first visit I met Lynn and was able to reassure her that there would always be someone there to listen to them and deal with whatever fostering someone else’s child would bring to their family.

From day one they were able to listen to the advice given and act upon it, they were exceptionally good at communicating with all professionals involved with the child and were keen to learn, so they attended whatever training was offered to them.

They are very inclusive as a family so any child they cared for became part of their family, not just when they lived with them but for as long as the child’s family/carers/adoptive parents wanted them to be in touch. I can safely say that they loved every child their cared for, unconditional love, regardless of the complexities of their behaviours and they were able to recognise that and view the behaviours separately from the child. This has led to some fantastic outcomes for the children and will greatly assist all the children as they grow into adults, knowing where they have been on their journey through care and still having that connection.”