Three years after living with Laura, a parent and child foster carer, Andi* and her toddler Isla* are thriving. Andi believes that without the support of Laura and her husband Tom, Isla would not be in her care.
Andi came into a parent and a child placement after a domestically abusive relationship led to her two oldest children being removed from her care. When she left her partner, she found she was pregnant. Social Services were concerned she would return to her relationship and stated they would be looking to remove her youngest child, when born, into foster care.
A domestic abuse charity told her about parent and child fostering, where carers provide a supportive and supervised environment. Parent and child fostering aims to prevent children from coming into foster care and allows families to remain together. Andi thought it could be the opportunity she needed to show she could protect her child and keep them in her care, so she asked Social Services about it.
Andi
Two days after baby Isla was born, Parent and Child Foster Carer Laura visited Andi in hospital and the two women clicked straight away.
Laura
Andi and Isla moved into Laura’s home after leaving hospital. They developed a trusting relationship with Laura encouraging Andi to ask questions, helping her to grow in confidence.
Andi
When Andi came to her, Laura had previously fostered several mothers and children from between twelve to fourteen weeks, usually immediately after they had come out of hospital. These were first time parents with no family support, so Laura’s role involved showing them how to care for their babies.
By contrast, Andi as a mother of three already had some knowledge. Laura’s role was to help her develop confidence in her abilities as a parent, helping her bond with Isla and seeing new ways of doing things that she may not have experienced previously.
Andi
Andi’s confidence grew throughout her time with Laura. Nearly three years later, Isla remains in her care and is no longer on the Child Protection Register (a list of children who are identified as being at risk of suffering harm). Andi regularly visits Laura and Tom, who describe her as an adopted daughter.
Laura and her husband Tom.
Andi
Becoming a parent and child foster carer
Find out more about parent and child foster care.
If you would like to help support families to stay together by becoming a parent and child foster carer, complete our fostering enquiry form.
* Names have been changed to protect identities.