“Every step forward is a triumph”: Meet award-winning foster carers Christina and Roy
Read the inspiring story of award-winning foster carers Christina and Roy, who transformed the lives of four siblings through long-term foster care. They share their incredible journey.
Foster carers Christina and Roy have recently been given an award for their outstanding contributions to fostering.
We sat down with the first ever winners of the 'Polaris CEO Award for Foster Parents' to learn about the journey of this amazing foster family.
Christina and her partner Roy have been fostering with Fosterplus Scotland since 2016. At the very beginning of their Fosterplus journey, they were met with a challenging and amazing opportunity - the chance to welcome a sibling group of four children into their home.
Keeping families together
“Roy and I didn’t expect we’d be welcoming four children so soon when we joined Fosterplus, but we were eager to welcome the kids as we understood how important it is to try to keep siblings together when they enter foster care.”
Keeping siblings together is beneficial for a multitude of reasons, including ensuring that treasured family bonds are nurtured into adulthood and that children are supported in making sense of their story and identity.
Christina said: “I think one mistake people make when they foster siblings is assuming that the support they’ll need will be a one-size-fits-all situation - I was one of those people! The truth is, every child is different, and even if they’ve been exposed to the same traumatic experiences, they can react in so many different ways. All of my kids have their own opinions and feelings about what they’ve been through. It's about treating them together as a family, while treating them individually as well.”
Thriving together as a family
Our careful matching process ensured that Christina’s foster children found the right home, where they have been happily settled for the past 9 years. The family home is a bright, bustling environment which they share with Christina and Roy’s adult daughter and their grandson. Christina said:
“Fostering really is a family effort. I couldn't do it without my support network, which includes my grown-up kids. My daughter was only 14 when we first started fostering, and even now she’ll correct anyone who doesn’t consider our 4 kids to be her ‘real’ siblings. Growing up in a fostering home has not only given my daughter the amazing gift of more family, it’s also given her the chance to learn lots about parenting and attachment, which will be a big help now that she’s got her own little one. Having our grandson around is also amazing for the kids, who love spending time with their little nephew.”
Reaching for the stars
Christina has seen huge positive changes in her foster children since they’ve become a part of her family. She said: “Roy and I were the children’s first and only foster parents. They didn't know there was a different way of living until they came to us. The kids have been through some really challenging experiences. It’s incredible to see how they’ve made it through, but those experiences are bound to stay with them and shape the way they look at the world.”
“That’s why you have to be tough enough to fight in your children’s corner. Often care-experienced children have never known what it’s like to have an adult who will really put themselves on the line for them. They’ve never had that caregiver who will give them 100%. You have to be open to learning and growing so that you can be a confident advocate for yourself and for your children.”
Christina has seen many changes in her family and in her approach to parenting over the years. She said:
“Fostering has helped me to grow into a stronger person. It’s very different from parenting your own children. You learn a lot. I look back and think sometimes, what could I have done differently? For example, I think I may have held my own children back a little by being too concerned with making sure they were being polite over encouraging them to be their authentic selves. My foster children are all big characters, and I encourage them to speak out and stand up for what they think is right. I tell them to reach for the stars, and to not let anything hold them back.”
Celebrating our foster families
Christina and Roy were nominated for the Polaris CEO Award by their supervising social worker, who was impressed by their tireless advocacy in ensuring that all four of the children in their care have their unique needs met. We asked the couple what advice they’d give to anyone who’s looking to become a foster parent.
“For someone to foster successfully, you need to care about children from the very bottom of your heart. You need to be patient, open-minded, loving and accepting. You need to be a people person, and you need the ability to put yourself in a child’s shoes. You need to give your love and attention unconditionally, knowing that you might not always get that love back. One of the most rewarding things about this role is seeing your foster children developing, even if it can be slow progress at times. Every step forward for your children, whether big or small, is a triumph.”
Could you foster?
Foster parents like Christina and Roy are a real credit to our team here at Fosterplus, and we’re so proud to be able to celebrate the incredible work that they do. If you’re inspired by the couple’s story, check out more stories from our fantastic foster parents.
If you believe you could follow in Christina and Roy’s footsteps to help to change children’s lives up and down the UK, why not get in touch with our team today? Our friendly advisors will be eager to give you all of the information you need to help you to decide if fostering is right for you and your family.
*names have been changed to protect the privacy of the family.
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