Foster parents aren’t superheroes; they’re human.
Being a foster parent takes a certain type of skill, but they don’t possess superpowers.
Nothing should belittle the very hard work, dedication and selflessness it takes to work with children and Young People, without the added layer of those with care experience.
But these are very human attributes.
Instead of making a role, which is already hard to fill, almost unobtainable to suggest you need to be superhuman to fill it, maybe we should be talking about those very real attributes, transferrable skills and life experience that helps support a child or young person in care.
Unlike the movies we have real, immediate things to consider. We want what’s best for them, as if they were our own. We approach every decision as if we were making them for our own child and that comes with lots of responsibility.
We can positively change a life. Give a child or young person a future they might never have otherwise been able to see. But with that there’s lots of work, there’s trauma to understand and work through, relationships to build, trust to make. And that’s hard, and sometimes a thankless task.
Every child should have the same opportunities provided to them; that should be a basic right.
We won’t always get it right, some things are beyond our control, decisions may be taken out of our hands. But rest assured, whenever and wherever evolve can, they will support every child and young person with many years, experience and a passion to succeed that is unrivalled.
