Husband and wife team open their hearts and home to become kinship foster carers

Kinship Foster Care is when a child is cared for by a relative, friend or person they have a pre-existing connection with, who has been officially approved by the Trust as a Foster Carer.

Lynda and William shared how after their children, aged 30 and 26, had flown the nest.

“We were rattling about on our own,” said Lynda. “We had thought about Fostering for a long time and put ourselves forward to be Respite Foster Carers initially.

"We wanted to give a child a happy home, to offer them security. Things then changed and we became Kinship Foster Carers, something that we are just so thankful for.”

Lynda and William welcomed three girls, now aged 13, 10 and three to their home in 2022, a family dynamic that is filled with love, laughter and unshakable bonds.

William explained how much he and Lynda were supported by the Trust in their journey to becoming Kinship Foster Carers.

“We cannot thank the team enough in helping, explaining and supporting us,” he said. “The team were with us right from the start.

“We are so proud of the girls, to see their transformation and how comfortable they are.

"We have been given a chance to create a family environment and to help mould the girls into becoming young adults and hopefully break a cycle that they were going through before they came to us.”

Lynda added: “It means the world to William and I, to have been given the opportunity and to have been allowed to do this for the girls in giving our love and giving our hearts to someone else.”

South Eastern Trust Principal Social Worker, Bridie Rainey commented: “It is truly inspiring to hear about the love, stability and dedication of Lynda and William over these past three years.

"They have embraced their fostering role with commitment and compassion and created a home filled with warmth, security and belonging.”