A mother may give birth to you, but a foster mum raises you.
I was 7 years old when I met Fran for the first time, and it gave me a sense of stability I’d obviously been missing.
Despite this, I distinctly remember feeling terrified when I first turned up. Fran just seemed to get it though. She made a real effort with me even though I was probably very difficult.
My favourite memory was being treated to a Burger King. It’s sometimes the smallest gestures which have the biggest impact.
Fran made a promise to my father before he died that I would always stay in education. True to her word I kept a 100% attendance record. You don’t always appreciate routine when you’re young, but you understand how it has shaped your life when you reach adulthood.
She always guided me on what was right and wrong. When I first arrived, I stole twenty pence coins from a weighing machine in ASDA. She marched me right back into the shop to give them back. She also instilled a lot of confidence in me to challenge injustice.
It’s no surprise really that I ended up being a police officer!
I meet a lot of young people in the line of duty who say to me “You don’t know what it’s like being in care”. Well, I do. And I know that you can’t blame your situation on how you behave. You just have to use the cards you’re dealt with and play your best game with it.
My advice to any young person finding themselves in care is to seize every opportunity available to you. Join a club or try new activities; it will keep you off the streets and give you new life skills.
I very much regard Fran as my mum and I still see her regularly when I can.
I can honestly say that I don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for Fran. Certainly not experiencing a diverse career within the Police Force.
It all stems from a good upbringing with Fran motivating me to always do better.
A mother may give birth to you, but a foster mum raises you. And Fran did that fantastically.