Child of Courage nominee – Kids of Carers

Child of Courage nominee – Kids of Carers

Saying goodbye to temporary brothers and sisters who have shared your home and shared your parents is a reality for the children of foster carers.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Fostering Team has set up a group for the children of foster families to meet and support one another.

Kids of Carers has around 20 members aged between seven and 17 years who meet up several times a year to talk about the highs and lows of living in a fostering family and to enjoy activities including trips to theme parks and bowling.

Marie Plant, Fostering Recruitment Officer at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “These children welcome children aged from birth to 18 years into their homes. Without these young people their parents could not be foster carers.

“It’s not always easy for them. They have to share their parents’ time, often being put second as the foster child has to come first. They help their parents to welcome and love these children as their brothers and sisters.

“It can be difficult at times especially if it’s a child with behaviour issues or a child that has suffered severe neglect which can result in delayed development. This can be hard to handle.

“But all of our kids of carers say the hardest thing about fostering is when a child lives with them for two or three years then they have to leave, which can be back to their parent or to adoption. We know and they know this is the right thing but when these babies and children have been part of your life for anything up to three years it is a huge loss.

“But they manage this and then go onto welcome another child into their home.”

Marie has nominated the members of Kids of Carers for a Child of Courage Award in the Your Heroes Awards.

She added: “I cannot express the pride and love I have for all foster carers’ birth children.”