Take some time, meet some of our carers and read their stories.
Angie – Single Carer
I am in my sixties and live with my 30 year old son in the centre of Dundee. We are a foster family but really I am the main carer and my son helps out a bit with practical things. I have been a foster carer for SWIIS now for five years and over that period of time I have cared for a number of teenage boys. They all have their own problems and this has included not going to school, getting in trouble with the police or getting angry when they are unhappy.
I think my personality helps a lot and I am always working to build relationships with the young people in my care. I believe in discussing things and I make sure that we make time to sit down and talk as well as making time for fun.
I have learnt a lot from both the training and support I have had through SWIIS and through the experiences of working with my young people. They have come to me from home, from other foster care placements and from residential care. I have helped them move on to the next stage of their lives in the most positive way possible. I like my job.
Andrew and Maggie – Permanent Carers
We had both been married previously and have one son each. When we met, we were cautious about living together and gave our sons lots of time to get to know each other and to accept the new relationship. We set up home together four years ago and the boys are now in their late teens, with their own interests and plans for the future. We felt that we still had the space, interest and energy to care for children so applied to SWIIS to be permanent foster carers.
Six months ago, we were matched with Ellie and Louise, sisters aged 9 and 6. The girls had been through a succession of different foster carers, after being removed from their parents following several incidents of physical, and possible sexual, abuse. Both girls have struggled to adapt to regular routines and Louise is still delayed in her development, requiring a lot of help with everyday tasks. Ellie has been used to caring for her little sister, so has needed gentle encouragement to allow Maggie to take over this role and to be a little girl again. Both girls can be inappropriate with strangers and all of us have had to learn about ‘safe caring’, to protect ourselves and enable us to teach the girls. We have regular consultation with a therapist and Louise’s educational progress is monitored by the SWIIS educational worker. We know that we will face many challenges with the girls as they grow up but we already consider them part of the family, and we will do whatever it takes!
Martin and David – Same Sex Respite Carers
David and I have been together for five years and we both have full time jobs. We first thought about fostering because a member of my family is also a foster carer. We were at their house one day and saw what a contribution they were making with their foster child and we thought - we could do that
The training and assessment process was very thorough and took about six months from beginning to end. We now have a small number of children who come to us at the weekends and during holiday times to give their carers a break. We work closely with the main carer to ensure that we are pulling together for the best interests of our children and young people. But we know that respite carers can have a different relationship from the main carers and always ensure that we have our weekends planned and the children have plenty to do.
This suits everybody right now and we can carry on in full time jobs whilst making a difference to children’s lives. Who knows, perhaps in the future as we gain experience we might ask to become full time carers.
Dougie and Nickie
We have been approved as foster carers for five years. We have two children of our own who are now 11 and 13 and we are lucky enough to have a large house with five bedrooms. We have always been very family orientated and had heard that there were not enough foster carers in Scotland. I can’t remember what set us off thinking but we were thinking about this for years and then we heard an advert and did some research on the internet and came across SWIIS Scotland.
Because we have lots of room we can offer brothers and sisters a home together. Our own life experiences and previous jobs mean we know a lot about children and working with families. Currently we have two wee ones with us and a teenager. This means we have a busy house but we love it.
