Sitting on the floor at the top of the supermarket escalator, I waited patiently as Michael*, nine, screamed and thrashed about, having a full-blown tantrum.
I tried to ignore the stares of passing shoppers, who were confused as to why I wasn’t attempting to control his behaviour. I knew what they were thinking – that he looked too old to be carrying on like that – but they didn’t know his background or the trauma he’d suffered.
As his foster carer, it was my job to be a calming presence and guide Michael through his overwhelming emotions, without judgement.
Michael is just one of the 60 children I’ve cared for over the last 16 years and, while it isn’t without its challenges, fostering is incredibly rewarding.
I was a police officer when I met my firefighter husband Paul while out on a job. We soon settled down in the Lake District and got married. We’d always wanted children, and wasted no time starting a family.
Our daughter Georgina was born in 2001, followed by Leonie in 2003. It was when the girls were just five and two that we made the life-changing decision to open up our home and our hearts to other children in need.
Fostering had always appealed to us, but it actually came about by accident. Through my job, I often worked with vulnerable people and was always more interested in helping them, rather than dealing with punishing offenders.
One day, while at a meeting with other agencies, I heard about a family in desperate need of support, and felt compelled to act.
‘If you’re ever stuck, give us a shout,’ I said casually to Shirley, a social worker, afterwards.
Denne historien er fra March 28, 2022-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 28, 2022-utgaven av WOMAN'S OWN.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
MAGNIFICENT MAURITIUS
Pe This istand in the ut 7% Indian Ocean feels Sa: like paradise, says Charlotte Richards
I HATE BEING A MUM
One woman, 55, reveals why she resents all of the sacrifices she made to be a mother
SLASH SUGAR AND SLIM
Trying to lose weight? With these clever tweaks, you don’t have to miss out on the seasonal sweet stuff
DAWN HARPER ASK THE DOCTOR
Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions
SEX HORRORS SOLVED!
Stop physical intimacy from turning into the stuff of nightmares with our expert advice
THE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE WITH CANCER
More than 12,000 people are diagnosed with brain tumours each year in the UK. Two mums tell us how the cruel disease changed their lives forever
DAWN NEESOM MIND OF MY OWN
The Woman's Own columnist has her say on marriage, tea and Absolutely Fabulous!
TRAPPED INSIDE MY HOME WITH A MONSTER
Gemma Williams, 46, thought she'd die at the hands of her partner
AMANDA TO REPLACE CAT?
With increasing criticism directed at the This Morning host, are producers ready to call in a familiar face?
Get the GOSS
Your round-up of this week's biggest showbiz stories