Foster Carers
London
Ex-Police Inspector Found Purpose in Fostering
After more than two decades in the MET working as a police Inspector, Robert Morgan never imagined he would one day become a foster carer. Yet, looking back, every step of his career, from serving on the front line to mentoring young people, helped prepare him for the life-changing role he now holds alongside his wife, Ann.
“I never set out to foster,” Robert reflects. “When I left the MET, it wouldn’t have occurred to me. But after retirement, I started working for the local authority in a deprived community. That’s when I began mentoring young people, helping at youth clubs, and organising community events. It slowly shifted the way I thought! I realised how many children need help and how rewarding it is to be part of their lives”.
Robert’s 23 years in the police exposed him to both the best and worst of humanity. “Police officers often see families at crisis points,” he says. “You meet parents affected by addiction, crime, and hardship. It gives you perspective. In fostering, when you care for a child whose parent might be in prison or struggling with substance misuse, you understand that those parents aren’t bad people – they’re often victims of their circumstances. That empathy makes a real difference”.
“Decision-making is a huge transferable skill,” he explains. “In the police, you make countless decisions under pressure – at three in the morning, when it’s raining, and everyone’s tired. Fostering’s no different. Things often happen on a Sunday night or a bank holiday! You draw on your training, your instincts, and you do what’s right for the child in front of you”.
Robert and Ann have fostered over ten children so far, from babies to school-age. Their home, he says, is “as busy and intense as any police shift,” filled with laughter, challenges, and moments of deep connection. “It’s not slow-paced,” he smiles. “But it’s meaningful. Every conversation, every bedtime routine, every small breakthrough – that’s the work that matters”.
The biggest difference between his former life and this one? “The reward,” Robert says simply. “In the police, you dip in and out of people’s lives during moments of crisis. In fostering, you walk alongside them for months, years, maybe forever. The gift you give a child – stability, love, a sense of belonging – that can last a lifetime”. Robert’s message to others from the police or armed forces is clear:
“If you want to make a difference, fostering might be the most meaningful way you ever will. The skills you’ve built – discipline, empathy, calmness under pressure – are exactly what children need. And the reward? It’s far greater than anything I’ve experienced before”.
