Our Fostering Respite Experience | A Foster Carer Story
As a carer for us you are entitled to 2 weeks respite/holiday allowance and/or days out allowance per year; because here at Lorimer, we understand how important a rest can be! We recently spoke to John and Hayley, Foster Carers for Lorimer about their experiences.
Fostering Respite | John & Hayley’s Story
‘We have been fostering for just over a year now. It’s been a rollercoaster year! We had a girl placed with us at first, and when she moved on we were asked to provide some respite care. We know how important it is for carers to have a break so of course we said yes!
The great thing about the respite was the planning that went into it. We were able to get to know the boys a bit before they came, including meeting them on a video call. This meant we could have a plan of activities, likes and dislikes and routines. More importantly, the boys had met us, so they didn’t feel strange coming to our home.
We would say that the whole weekend was crazy….but good crazy! We all felt like we were having a mini holiday! The boys loved visiting a working farm, feeding the animals there and taking part in the Easter Egg hunt. A visit to the airport was next, to see the planes taking off and landing. There was also trips to the park and football in the garden. We didn’t stop all weekend!
Why is Fostering Respite Different?
The difference for us between full time fostering and respite was the time and energy we could put into the boys for just those few days. Although we were all exhausted by Sunday evening, we felt so proud of ourselves that the weekend was such a success. We couldn’t stop smiling all weekend, it was a joy!
For people who are considering fostering, but who are unsure we would urge you to try respite fostering first. You have the same assessment as a regular Foster Carer, so you get all the same training. The difference you make to the carers and the children is huge. It might only be one weekend a month, or a few days in the holidays. Respite fostering can fit around you and your job, it’s really flexible.
We would love to be able to care for the boys again, it was wonderful fun. Everything was organised so well by the agency, and we will be buddying up with other carers in the future. Give it a go!’
Many thanks to John and Hayley for sharing their respite experience with us! Their enthusiasm and pride in the work they have done absolutely shone through 😊
If you would like to read more stories from our fab Foster Carers, visit this page on our website.
Get in Touch
Please get in touch if you would like to know more about joining Lorimer as a respite Foster Carer! You can call, text or WhatsApp Rachael on 07938 575 738; or send an email to: foster@lorimerfostering.com. If you would prefer us to call you, please submit your details using the form below; and we’ll get back to you soon!
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