Jill's story
Fostering older children
As a single carer, Jill understands the desperate need for foster carers who are willing to take on teenagers and older children.
After 21 years as a foster carer, the walls of her Stockport home are covered in photographs of the children who have thrived under her care. There are toy boxes dotted around her living room and a baby asleep in the corner.
Jill - foster carer
My aim is to give the child some kind of stability, routine and love.
“I’ve cared for children who are on a cocktail of drugs from a very young age. It can be a very fulfilling job but it can also be heart-breaking as heroin babies are never totally cured, they will always have an addictive personality.
"We have to explain to the children that their real 'tummy mummy' loves them very much and I am just looking after them for her.
"Older children can still bring so much into a foster carer's life and be just as fulfilling as having a younger child. They need to have a stable home, family life and someone to engage with to help them fulfil their potential.
"My aim is to give the child some kind of stability, routine and love. However, it is just as important that they know their real parents love them too, even if they can’t live with them."
Contact us
If you're interested in fostering, you can contact the fostering team for more information and advice.
Did you know?
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Many children and young people in care will have experienced difficulties at home and will benefit from guidance and support from foster carers.
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You don’t need any special qualifications or experience to be a foster carer, you just need to care about the welfare of young people.
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There is no typical foster carer. We welcome people of all backgrounds, nationalities, religions, genders and ages.
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As a foster carer, you'll have access to an extended support network through the Mockingbird project.