WHAT OUR CHILDREN &
YOUNG PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US
We believe that some of the best people to tell you about Parallel Parents are the children and young people that our foster carers look after.
These are genuine commens from children and young people, but images have been changed to preserve anonymity.
"My carer is the best carer and she's always there whenever I need someone to talk to or if I'm feeling down. She's like a mum and I love her to bits."
"I love my carer with all my heart, she makes me laugh and cheers me up. My life has changed in a good way."
"I have enjoyed living with my foster carer and have felt safe and protected and well looked after. The company is brilliant, better than social services... I have always felt safe and very well looked after."
"I love it here. We do all sorts - go on bike rides, youth clubs!"
CHARLIE, BRANDON & ELLIE'S STORY
Charlie, Brandon and Ellie were all very young when they came into foster care due to neglect – 4, 3, and 2 respectively. Developmentally, they were very behind – Charlie, the oldest, had not started nursery and was still in nappies. All of the children were malnourished, had severe dental problems and limited verbal communication.
All of the children were placed together and their foster carers began by seeing to the children's immediate health needs, liaising with various medical professionals. The carers did an amazing job: in what seemed like no time, Charlie and Brandon were toilet trained, speech and language therapy was under way, and the children were gaining weight and starting to look happier and healthier. Charlie and Brandon also started nursery one day a week, and Charlie made so much progress that she had almost caught up with her peers.
These outcomes demonstrated a huge amount of work and commitment from the foster carers. The plan then became adoption. The foster carers' next job was to prepare the children for their adoptive family: preparing 'memory boxes,' reducing and then stopping contact with the parents, and increasing visits to the adopters. It was an emotional time when the children moved on, but the foster carers recognised that their hard work had brought about the best possible outcome for these three children: a forever family.
