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Irish foster care Association

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  • 07-11-2009 1:03am
    #1
    LeoB
    Registered Users Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks, seeing as this is National fostering awareness week I though I would put up a thread for people to have a look.

    My family are foster carers and I have to say it is the most rewarding thing we have ever done. And I wont cod you Its also very challenging. We have a child in our care who is nearly 2 years with us, he was 4 back in April. The progress he has made is just amazing.

    From having NO words and not eating solids he is now a chatterbox who would eat stones, (esp when I cook). He is a very effectionate child and has given us a great focus and purpose. Its not for everyone though but if you have ever thought about it why not give I.F.C.A a call. There is currently a huge lack of families so maybe some child out there is waiting on you.
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    #2
    Woddle
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,492 ✭✭✭Woddle


    Only saw this now and your of course right, you guys do a fantastic job and it's a shame there is not more of yee.
    My parents foster and they have had a boy now the last 3 or 4 years, he's in my daughters class in school and I consider him to be my little bro. The progress he has made is unreal and this is a boy who had the worst start to life imaginable. They also offer respite for other kids and the behavioural problems these guys have is very sad, def not enough foster homes to help everyone.
    I would love to do it, having been around it for years but sadly my wife wouldn't, she would much prefer to concentrate on the 2 we have and the one on the way.
    Keep up the great work


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    #3
    LeoB
    Registered Users Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭LeoB


    Woddle wrote: »
    I consider him to be my little bro.

    I would love to do it, having been around it for years but sadly my wife wouldn't, she would much prefer to concentrate on the 2 we have and the one on the way.
    Keep up the great work

    My wife was at a training course today and one of the couples there was inspirational according to my wife. This year for Christmas Day the will have 3 former children who were in their care back for dinner. The kids have obviously come out the other side thanks to their efforts.

    This will not happen for everyone but it is the type of case which needs to be highlighted.

    That is a lovely thing you said about considering him to be your little Bro.


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    #4
    Hellrazer
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,679 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    LeoB--I may aswell be reading our particular story when I read yours.
    We have been fostering a child for almost 6 years now.He arrived with us @18 months,couldnt speak,was really over weight and had really bad psiorisis(sp).Hes a totally different child now.We had the skin condition under control in a week,he lost the weigh and started talking--All he needed was the attention of a family who had the time to care for him.

    Before he arrived with us he lived with extended family and was literally eating curries for breakfast,dinner and supper.He was in a health care creche from 7am until 6pm and was in bed by 7 so he had no interaction at all.

    The good news is that now the social workers want us to go ahead with a full adoption which is currently under way.

    Anyone thinking of becoming one--Id recommend it purely for the feeling you get when a case works out the way it did for us.


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    #5
    LeoB
    Registered Users Posts: 4,254 ✭✭✭LeoB


    So many of the cases are so similar in many ways and the issues the kids have seem much the same also.

    The child with us has just gone into long term care so he will be with us until he is 18 unless something crops up which can for many reasons. Our aim is to get him to a very basic level of reading and writing, he has some delays. However he is an excellent communicator in other ways. Great mixer and loves listening to music. One thing we noticed is anytime you give him something he is so grateful, "Tayou Mammy", "your the best".

    Hellrazer, The 2nd paragraph about the life your child led before he came to you is carbon copy (as you say) and thats why I put up the thread to make people more aware of the positive side of fostering and see what other issues families had. Training is usually during the day so 1 of us only goes.
    Your child had curries our child had Mars bars. Everything we gave him just went through him. It was some challenge getting through the first few weeks but it was worth every minute. He is still so skinny its unbelievable, but he is very strong and healthy good at football, hurling and his running is improving and that keeps us going.

    He was an emergency placement with us and sure I thought he would be with us for a month or 2 the H.S.E would sort out his family and we would help him and then we would start again with a new child but here we are 2 years later and thankfully things are going well


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