He’s become an integral part of our family.
Tom was our first foster child, we had been approved as foster carers just three days before we got the call to take him in. It was the day after Tom’s 13th birthday, he literally arrived in a school uniform that was too small for him, carrying a birthday cake and nothing else.
I went to the shop to buy him some pyjamas and a toothbrush and we had fish and chips for dinner. That was the first night.
Tom was just grey with shock and he didn’t speak for about three months, it was sad and challenging but eventually he felt happy and settled, and really comfortable to talk to us. He has continued to thrive, he did well in school, and it’s been a great success for him to join our family.
One of the best things about fostering is introducing children to new life experiences, things that they haven’t had the opportunity to do before. We went to Spain – Tom’s first trip abroad – and we had an amazing family holiday in New York, he did well at his Duke of Edinburgh Award and he’s enjoyed concerts, opera and theatre trips.
It’s not all ‘roses around the door’ but it has been a really interesting journey, he has many cultural interests, and he’s become an integral part of our family.
Tom is a smart lad and it wasn’t until he’d been at secondary school for a year that we realised how academically capable he was, and we needed to encourage that. We took him to the university towns like Cambridge, we made it clear that it was our aspiration for him and that he was clearly bright enough. He knew he was supported and that really meant a lot to him.
We gave him as much support as we possibly could and we’re very proud of Tom. His interest in neuroscience, it’s a fascinating subject and I’m looking forward to what the future holds for him.