Lynn and Saied's Story

• Fostering Stories
• Tags: Fostering and ethnicity , Fostering Babies , Muslim Fostering

Lynn and Saied have been fostering for ten years and during that time they have looked after over twenty babies, siblings and teenagers as well as children on an emergency basis. 

Lynn's background is in Children's Centres working with young families and she decided she "wanted to go that little bit further".  Saied's background is as an inspector with Merseyside Police and since becoming a foster carer, he's actually been referred to as the ‘child whisperer’ on occasion!

It's the best job I've ever done. When we get a child, and it might only be for 5 weeks, but what that child gives to us, let alone what we’ve done for them…. It doesn’t matter if a child only stays for 2 hours we can still have an impact on their lives

Lynn

It's easy to see that as foster carers, Lynn and Saied put everything into the children they look after.  Lynn told us they sometimes wonder if they get too involved:

"How can we just forget about a 5 month old baby who’s been with us since he was a day old?  We do get upset when they move on, but knowing that they are safe is something else"

Saied spoke to us about the highs and lows of fostering; "When they go on to be adopted or back to Mum, their life has changed so much and it makes us so happy.  We’re still in touch with them, they send us pictures and we go and see them"

When we spoke about the challenge of attracting more foster carers from diverse communities in Liverpool, and some of the perceived barriers that exist, Saied commented;

“If you’re looking at the barriers, I’m a Muslim, Lynn is a Christian (non-practising) and we send our children to a Jewish school!  It’s about life. Religion or culture without humanity means nothing”  

We want the best for these children. I'm not just talking about one year but for the next 20 years and generations to come. One day this child will be a dad and a grandad, it’s a generation you’re affecting, not just one child

Saied