Hopes for the year ahead
Fostering hope and nurturing potential this New Year
As you look forward to the New Year, do you think you could offer stability and hope to a child? You never know, you might be looking back in 10 years, remembering all those children you loved and supported!
I’m always so happy when the Christmas decorations are back in their boxes and in the loft. I love putting them out in December but there’s something so lovely about being clear in January; sweeping away the clutter and the mess and beginning again. It makes sense that at this time of year people are looking at the year ahead with a sense of hope and purpose. 2026 is going to be a great year!
We were approved as foster carers in January, 12 years ago. At that time we’d tidied Christmas away, sorted out our fostering bedroom and we were ready to help and support the child who would be staying with us. We had no idea at the time that we would still be fostering 12 years later!
At the time we’d just wanted to be there for a child who needed us. That hasn’t changed. As our family has grown and adult children have moved out we’ve added another fostering bedroom and can now support two children. Back in 2014 I don’t think we really even knew what we were going to do for the first year, let alone a decade.
What I did know was that we wanted to offer hope and stability to a child in crisis. Often, here was the last place that child wanted to be. Even more often they just wanted to go home, but as time went on and they got used to us they started to trust us and to look forwards into their future. We’ve had children stay for just a night, or for a few months. We’re also long term carers to one child who will be here for as long as they need us. We’ve supported children to return home and we’ve also been there for children moving to wider family members or to adoption. We’ve been there through it all, loving them and comforting them through all the change and uncertainty.
We’re moving into 2026 knowing that we can be there as a family to be whatever the children in our care need, but mostly we are here to give them hope and a future that is safe and supportive.
As you look forwards into 2026, do you think you could be that for a child? You never know, you might be looking back in 10 years, remembering all those children you loved and supported!
