Fostering and the Power of Relationships
It's Fostering Fortnight (12-25 May) and this year’s focus is on the power of relationships.
The relationship between a child or young person in care and their foster carer is immensely special.
You may be a short-term foster carer – often providing care in an emergency situation, even for a few days – or you may be a long-term foster carer, providing a home and care for a young person for many years.
Whatever type of fostering you do, the role you play can have a real, long-lasting impact on a young person for the rest of their life.
Brad Kella, winner of The Piano 2024 and currently touring with Gary Barlow across the UK, shares the power of his relationship with his foster carers and how it changed the trajectory of his life:
“I went home to beg my foster carers to get me a piano, and a couple of months later, I was greeted with a small Yamaha keyboard, which literally took over my life.
“At the time, my foster parents were the only people in the world that inspired me and made me feel like I could go out and achieve anything I wanted. When they found out I wanted to find a passion for piano, they pushed it so much and it gave me so much more feel of an accomplishment.
“Every time I'd learn something new or ever set myself a new challenge that I wanted to learn a new piece, they would support me throughout it all.”
“Everything I do in right now and in the present moment is because of my foster parents. They give me the time of day which I'd never had off anyone else.
“The impact that fostering has had on my life has been... I can't even put it into words what it's done for me.
“If you're out there thinking about fostering a child, don't think about it. Just do it because you're not just making an impact for that child, but you're making a massive impact for the society around us.”
Together Trust is proud to be part of the Fairer Fostering Partnership; a group of charitable and not-for-profit fostering agencies across the UK whose members look after over 2,000 children in care.
If you live in the North West area and considering whether you could become a foster carer, get in touch. We’ve worked hard to build a connected fostering family where staff, carers and families can support each other.
In fact, our level of training, support and friendly community mean some of our foster carers have been with us for over 20 years.
Learn more about fostering here or click here to make an enquiry and kickstart your fostering journey.
Have your own foster relationship story? We'd love to hear it! Share it with us at communications@togethertrust.org.uk – we can anonymise and/or change details.