Amy and Viv are respite foster carers here in Bridgend, which means they predominantly care for young people for short breaks on weekends. They have also offered emergency care when the local authority have needed to find a home for a child urgently, and they’ve had capacity.
Both Amy and Viv work during the week; as a Product Manager for a Children’s Charity, and a Product Manager for a bank respectively.
They considered fostering in 2020 after driving past the Foster Wales Bridgend banner outside BCBC Civic Centre, which prompted them to look on our website. Amy had looked into fostering many years prior but at the time, you couldn’t foster and work full-time. The Foster Wales Bridgend website said you can work and foster so it became an option for them.
What made you decide to foster?
We took on full-time care for Viv’s disabled step brother due to her mother’s ill health. He came to live with us, and seeing his growth and development in our care really resonated with us, in that we recognised the positive difference we had made to his life. He started to step outside of his comfort zone, socialising with family, and was fast becoming much more independent – cooking, cleaning, arranging appointments.
This got us thinking…if we could make a difference to him in such a short space of time, what more could we offer if we became foster carers!
What skills or personality traits do you bring to the table as foster carers?
We are very much down-to-earth people who recognise that it’s everyone’s first time at life. Amy is calm and thoughtful, whilst Viv is fun and caring – we make a great team!
We thrive making people feel like they can be themselves around us, and no topic of conversation is off limits. We would much rather a young person talk to us about something than hold it in and internalise.
Both of us love playing board games and going out to do activities…we are big kids really!
How long have you been fostering for?
This will be our second year fostering. The process did feel like it took quite a long time – some advice would be to for everyone to get access to their Form F document as soon as they speak to their supervising social worker. This really helps you think about your life and the important questions the social worker requires to ask you. There are several checks and processes to go through, we expected everything to be online but it was still quite heavily paper-based. Everyone was clear about what we needed to do though, and what checks we needed to get.
Can you foster and have pets?
We are dog mums! We have three dogs and it hasn’t stopped us from fostering.
Flynn is a Cava Tzu and Dakota is a Portuguese water dog – we’ve had both since pups. We then adopted Eva who is a Golden Doodle, an ex-breeding dog from a rescue shelter, she’s four.
What are the positives of fostering with your local authority?
The young people we get to meet – they are lovely!
Our supervising social worker has been with us the whole time. They’ve been a great source of support, listening to our thoughts and feelings. They really get us!
What would you say to anyone considering fostering?
Don’t hold back! Don’t think about what could happen, and don’t listen to the scaremongering. Trust your judgement, treat young people with respect and you will make a difference!
What are some of your tips on fostering?
Avoid asking too many questions. Young people we have seen feel like they have to tell us their story, and we want to avoid this, unless they feel like they want to. We like to focus on the good things, what their strengths are, rather than the bad things that have happened to them as that does not define who they are.
Get in touch to start your fostering journey
Amy and Viv have chosen to foster young people for short breaks. Fostering doesn’t have to be a full-time commitment, and it can work around your current job. It’s much more flexible than you probably think – have a read on our types of fostering page.
There are many ways you can get in contact with us, but the easiest is to fill in our enquiry form and our recruitment officer will give you a call for a friendly chat about your options. We’re happy to answer any questions you may have, and would love to have more people like Amy and Viv in our fostering community in Bridgend!
If you’re reading this but reside outside of Bridgend, visit www.fosterwales.gov.wales to find your correct local authority fostering service.
