Alison's foster carer experience

"We were inspired to foster as my dad was adopted at 11 months and I really admired my grandparents for that", recalls Alison. "I was also a secondary school teacher and taught many looked after children, so had contact with their foster families. But having our own children really fuelled our ambition to offer a loving home to another child."

Decided to leave teaching and become a full-time foster carer

Alison was on maternity leave when the couple went through the fostering assessment and approval process. "Our daughter was just a year old when I decided to leave teaching and become a full-time foster carer."

Alison's experience as a secondary school teacher meant the couple were approved to foster any child aged 0 to 18. "But we tend to foster pre-school children as they are the best fit for our family at the moment."

The family has moved closer to both sets of grandparents. "They are really invested in our fostering - they offer support with babysitting and lend a hand when we need it."

The whole family has benefited 

Alison and Stephen have now fostered five children and the whole family has benefited from the relationships they've built.

"Our children love fostering and feel really involved with the process. Our last two foster children were newborns who lived with us whilst they were waiting to be adopted. We all went to court for the baby's adoption celebration and will stay in touch with him and his forever family."

The family receives excellent support from their local authority, Central Bedfordshire. "They are very supportive, the training is brilliant with a varied programme of online and face to face, often in the evenings so one of us can attend. There's also a foster carer forum and events for the kids."

There is also a special programme for the 'kids that share' - children who are sharing their family home with fostered children. "It's an outing just for them, to show they are appreciated and are a huge part of fostering."

The couple feel it is a huge privilege to help a child along life's journey. "We fostered a baby for 18 months and realised what an incredible team there is around the child, their parents, the foster family and their new family."