“Mum, I’m not sure where I’d be if it wasn’t for you!”
58-year-old Tracey is a foster parent based in Warwickshire. Since 2003, Tracey’s looked after five long-term foster children in that time, who she’s raised alongside her own children. One of her foster children now stays with her in a ‘staying-put placement’ which is where a child continues to live with their foster parent after turning 18.
About Tracey and her family
58-year-old Tracey is a foster parent based in Warwickshire. She fosters with Fosterplus Coventry alongside her partner Nick. After ‘being persuaded’ by her former husband and mother-in-law to give fostering a go all the way back in 2003, Tracey’s looked after five long-term foster children in that time, who she’s raised alongside her own children. One of her foster children now stays with her in a ‘staying-put placement’ which is where a child continues to live with their foster parent after turning 18.
Now, Tracey and Nick foster two boys. Luke*, a happy 14-year-old young man and avid navy cadet with plans to join the military who’s been in Tracey’s care for the last six years. She’s also been looking after Benjamin* since September, an energetic nine-year-old boy who loves to practice taekwondo.
“It’s chaos,” Tracey joked, “it can be a very busy household but I like it like that.”
Fostering moments
It’s foster care fortnight from 13 - 26 May, two weeks dedicated to highlighting the wonderful world of fostering. This year’s theme is ‘fostering moments’.
There’s no shortage of moments to remember in a fostering household, but Tracey said that just having the privilege of seeing her foster children grow up is the greatest reward. From watching former foster children grow up and start families of their own to listening to current foster children talk about their dreams and aspirations, it’s all wonderful.
One of Tracey’s favourite fostering moments goes like this…
“Luke* said something to me the other day and it just brought a tear to my eye. He said, ‘Mum, I’m not sure where I’d be if it wasn’t for you. If it wasn’t for you I’d be in a gang or in prison.’ And when I asked him what made him say that, he said he was just so grateful for how well I was looking after him. I could’ve burst into tears!
“It just brings me so much pleasure. It can be hard work and you do have to lay the rules down and set boundaries but if you can work together, it’ll all be fine. Of course, they’ll push their luck but that’s what all kids do - my birth children have done the same!”
There can be some emotional moments in fostering with ups and downs, but progress happens everyday for foster children. Tracey has seen her foster children settle in and be happy at home, maintain relationships with birth parents, have fun on scooters, and even make progress at school, little things which many parents might take for granted.
Advice for prospective foster parents
“Fostering is hard work, but it fills me with happiness.
“Go for it. Give it a go. If you’ve got the time, space and patience to give a child a loving and stable home then go for it but be prepared to have your ups and downs. Nothing is completely plain sailing, and you have to work hard but it’s well worth it.”
*Names have been changed to protect the identity of looked-after children, this is a legal requirement
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