Neil and Sarah have been fostering for three and a half years, and they say they couldn’t have done it without the unwavering support of their four birth children Anna, Tom, Esme and Jude.
To mark Children of Foster Carers’ Week 2025, they’ve shared their family’s fostering journey, highlighting the incredible role their children have played in welcoming and supporting new family members.
I’ve always had a passion for helping children. As a paediatric nurse for most of my career, caring for little ones has always felt natural to me - so fostering seemed like the next step for our family.
During the pandemic, my husband Neil and I finally had the time to go through the assessment process to become foster carers. It felt like the right moment. Our four children were at ages where they could understand why we wanted to foster, and they were ready to help out in their own ways.
Our home has always been lively - full of love, laughter, and a bit of chaos! With four children, two dogs, two cats, Ted the rabbit, and four hens, it’s basically a petting zoo. But it’s a happy one.
When we sat our children down to prepare them for the arrival of our first foster child -a newborn baby boy - it marked the beginning of a journey none of us will ever forget. That conversation opened their eyes to the incredible responsibility children’s services carry in keeping vulnerable children safe in the UK.
The bonding was almost instant when the baby arrived. We all felt the enormous privilege of being part of his precious early weeks. It was emotional for all of us, stepping into the unknown with a tiny life in our care.
What amazed me most was how naturally our children responded. Without any prompting, each of them found their own way to connect with him- singing, laughing, helping with feeds and nappy changes. Watching them take on those roles with such love and care was truly remarkable.
Fostering has been life-changing for our whole family. Seeing how our children have grown, adapted, and shown such compassion fills me with pride. It’s something I know will stay with us forever.
