Foster Carers
Reasons to Foster: Rehana & Peter’s Story (Video)
Rehana & Peter are foster carers with Compass. Here they talk about what it means to them to be foster carers.
Rehana & Pete had been considering foster care for years.
Having been foster carers for almost four years, Rehana & Peter’s discusses the thought process that led them to fostering. They had considered it for a long time but decided to wait until their children were older to fully commit to the responsibility. It was their eldest child who ultimately encouraged them to take the step, after hearing our fostering recruitment ads on the radio.
After discussing it as a family, they decided to move forward, experiencing a mix of emotions such as anxiety and excitement. However, the process was smooth, thanks to the support from social workers who guided them through the journey. Despite the challenges, the family highlights the rewards of fostering, such as seeing children settle into their new environment, excel in school, and accomplish milestones that may seem small to others but are monumental for the child.
Transcript of the Video
We’ve been fostering now for almost four years. The reason for that was we talked about it for quite a lengthy period and over the years. However, we waited for our children to be older so that we could be committed to our decision and for them to be past that. I think it was our eldest who initially encouraged us because she knew we had been talking about it for some time, and she’d heard adverts on the radio. She said, “Look, people are being recruited.” So then we thought, let’s speak with our three children again and decided to go for it.
The mix of emotions included anxiety and nervousness, but it was a smooth process. I think the support and skills provided by our social worker made a huge difference, and she really helped us navigate the journey.
For our children, the rewards definitely outweighed the challenges. Seeing a foster child progress, starting a new school, and settling into life in a new country brought a sense of pride that felt the same as watching our own children grow.
Just seeing a child achieve the smallest milestone, something that might not seem like much to us but means everything to them, is truly rewarding. It’s all about taking small steps and being there to support them as they grow.
