You don’t lose anything, but you gain so much

Our foster carers are helping children in care to unlock their full potential. 

Being fostered helped Tom find out what path he wants to follow

"I never knew what I wanted to do before coming in to care," explains Tom

"I didn’t know what to think of myself or what I was capable of. But now, I’ve found a real passion for brain behaviour and anatomy. After university I’d like to do a PhD or Postgraduate Medical Degree."

Tom's foster parents have made a positive difference to his life

"When I first met Sue and Ray I was a bit frightened and angry. They were very positive, big personalities, and they wanted to support me.

Now, I see now that it was a good thing. I’ve had a huge amount of experiences in life, I’ve learned more about the world and cultural diversity."

My one message to other children in care would be this – you don’t lose anything, you don’t lose your birth family, but you gain so much.

Now, Tom believes his foster family have given him a future

"I would never have got to where I am now or have these aspirations if I hadn’t been fostered by Sue and Ray. They have helped me form a judgement on what I want to do with my life, what I think about myself and my capabilities.

My foster family has formed me as a person more than anyone else in my life, they’ve meant that I can actually have a future, something to look forward to. "

Sue and Ray are excited for Tom's future

"We gave him as much support as we possible could," says Sue "We're excited to see where it takes him."

Other children have shared how their foster families have changed their lives too.

Christine fostered Cody when he was 13. After years of cooking, and watching bake off together, Cody is now studying to become a head chef. If you could make a difference to a young person's life, get in touch to find out more.