Voices of Fostering

Send us Fan Mail We had the incredible honour of welcoming gold Paralympic medalist, Ellie Simmonds, onto our podcast! 🎙️ In this week’s episode, we take a deep dive into Ellie’s inspiring journey. From her early years in foster care to being adopted by her amazing parents who are foster carers, Ellie shares how these experiences shaped her extraordinary path to success. 💪 Don't miss this he...

Send us Fan Mail Phil is passionate about sports and, most importantly, is an exceptional foster carer. In this episode of our Voices of Fostering Podcast, Phil discusses the importance of boosting foster children's self-esteem and how one way he has managed to do this is through karate. We will also learn more about Phil and his fostering journey. If you would like to find out more about fos...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are thrilled to introduce Zak, our Training Team Leader. Zak works with our current foster carers to provide them with top-notch training and equip them with essential skills. Tune in to hear about our redesigned Skills to Foster Training, therapeutic parenting courses, and how we use VR to elevate our training to the next level. If you would like to find out m...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we meet foster carer Nigel who fosters alongside his wife Penny! Back in 2018, whilst fostering Nigel was involved in an accident that unfortunately left him with full sight loss, in this episode Nigel speaks about that experience, his highs and his lows and ultimately why he continues to foster!  If you would like to find out more about fostering please visit our...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of the Voices of Fostering Podcast, we introduce Matt, whose passion for fostering is deeply rooted in his family history. Inspired by his father's experiences growing up in the care system during the 1950s, Matt pursued a career in the military before he and his wife embarked on their journey as foster carers. They have now been dedicated to fostering f...

Send us Fan Mail Hayley has been familiar with fostering since her teenage years, as her parents were both foster carers. This experience set her on a wonderful path that led her to adopt her daughter, Shirley, who was initially fostered by her parents. Now, two years later, Hayley has been approved as a foster carer herself. Her story showcases the powerful impact fostering can have on the childr...

Send us Fan Mail In some cases, you can still foster while working full-time, as is the case for Andrew, a single carer who continues to work. In this episode of the Voices of Fostering Podcast, Andrew shares his experience as a foster carer over the past year. He discusses how he has managed to balance his job with fostering and talks about the children he has cared for.  If you would like to fin...

Send us Fan Mail Fostering teenagers is something that Sol and her wife Michelle were very passionate about, and four years later, they have fostered two teenagers, one of whom is now with them permanently! In this episode of our Voices of Fostering Podcast, you will learn more about their experiences as foster carers, their hopes for the future, and their love for Disney! If you would like to fin...

Send us Fan Mail Our next episode of our Voices of Fostering podcast episode is out now, and this time you get to hear from one of our supervising social workers!  In this episode, you'll hear from Anna, one of our dedicated supervising social workers. It's an excellent opportunity to gain insights into the role and understand the support you can expect at National Fostering Group. But a...

Send us Fan Mail Soo and Hugh always had an open-door policy for all of their daughter's friends, offering help in any situation. This was second nature to them, but upon reflection, it marked the very beginning of their journey toward becoming foster carers. Soo and Hugh have been fostering for over 10 years they had debated looking into adoption, but as Hugh said, 'With fostering, we c...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered if age is a barrier to fostering? Join us in our latest podcast episode as we debunk this myth with Pat, a first-time foster carer embarking on this journey at the age of 70! In this special virtual edition, amidst the candid conversation with Pat, you'll also experience the joyful babbling of the baby she currently fosters. Tune in to delve into the genuine exp...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of our fostering podcast, you will meet Julie, who with her husband have fostered for 23 years, which is truly remarkable.  In this candid episode, Julie speaks about her recovery from breast cancer and what that meant for her and her foster family. Julie is truly an inspiration, her constant upbeat attitude has meant that she has been able to provide such wonderfu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of our Focus on Fostering Podcast, you get to meet Sue and Kelvin who decided to foster when they retired.  Sue and Kelvin both nurses, first heard about fostering from another couple on a cruise, it was a few years later once retired that they decided to take their step into fostering.  In this episode you will hear from both Sue and Kelvin on what they believe ma...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, you will meet Jenna and Craig, who foster alongside their 9-year-old daughter. Together for 15 years and married for 5, both Jenna and Craig wanted to pursue fostering to make a difference. Jenna and Craig primarily foster babies, and in this episode, they discuss the assessment process, the children moving on, and their hopes for the future.  If you would like to...

Send us Fan Mail To conclude our first season of "Focus on Fostering," we're thrilled to present a truly extraordinary episode. Join us as we introduce you to Geoff, a dedicated foster carer, and his remarkable young person, Aiden, both of whom played featured in the compelling BBC One Documentary, "Teens in Care." As is our tradition, our episodes are unscripted and utter...

Send us Fan Mail Coming up on Episode 6, we meet Mark who is a foster carer of unaccompanied minors, young asylum seekers who arrive in the UK by themselves, scared and in need of a safe and loving home.  But in helping them, he has helped himself, he has faced incredibly difficult personal challenges but says he couldn’t have got through them without the fostering family he has created. Don’t mis...

Send us Fan Mail Coming up on Episode 5 we explore how our past experience impact our lives, and how children in foster care benefit from Therapeutic Life Story work, processing their trauma with the help of a professional like our guest, Linda.  If you would like to find out more about fostering please visit our website here . If you have any questions that you would like to be answered on our ne...

Send us Fan Mail Coming up in episode 4. We meet Carol and her daughter Emma and hear their incredible story of how being a fostering family has shaped their lives, from her adopting her foster child Ryan to how they all come together to support each other in difficult times. Carol has a wealth of experience and this is an incredible episode to listen to.  If you would like to find out more about...

Send us Fan Mail Destiny is a lively and articulate young woman who spent her childhood in various foster homes before finding her forever home with her current foster family. She speaks candidly about her anger growing up and the many traumatic experiences she faced. Describing herself as a “very troubled child”, Destiny found out at age four that the person she was living with was not her real m...

Send us Fan Mail Sarah Jane wears two different hats when it comes to fostering and adoption. She’s a foster carer recruitment officer for National Fostering Group and an adoptive mum to her 11-year-old son. At work, it’s her job to meet would-be foster carers and tell them what fostering’s all about, alongside looking after the agency’s team of foster carers. She helps people who want to foster g...

Send us Fan Mail Leonie’s mum and dad have been fostering since she was just two. It’s pretty much all she’s ever known. One of her earliest memories is of a young foster child coming into the room where Leonie was watching TV, sitting down on her lap and falling asleep. She’s since learned that many foster children feel uncomfortable with adults because of everything that’s happened to them, so b...