Linda, 60, is a single foster parent from Hertfordshire who started her journey to fostering with ISP in 2022.
After the tragic loss of her 10-year-old son, she made the decision to dedicate her time and compassion to transforming the lives of children who needed the safety and love she had to give. Today, she is a devoted single foster parent to two boys – siblings aged 6 and 8 – whose lives have been completely transformed under her care.
Transferring her skills to fostering
Linda had thought about fostering for many years before taking the first step. She originally looked into fostering with her local council, but when her son’s health took a relapse, she put her fostering journey on hold to focus on caring for her son. It wasn’t until several years after her son had sadly passed away, that Linda decided to restart her fostering journey.
“With fostering, everybody has their own journey. I played with the idea of fostering for years. I had full time work and the opportunities just weren’t there so I decided to go into respite and was thinking of going down that path. But then I realised I’ve got all these skills that I’ve gathered over 30 years of different careers so became a full-time foster parent. When I look back now, fostering was the best decision I ever made”.
Deciding to foster full-time later in life was a big transition, and Linda admits she felt uncertain.
“One thing I was concerned about was my age. But I’m active for my age and I’m healthy and active. And ISP told me fostering applications are based on you as a person, how well you are, what you’re able to do, and what you’re able to give – so that worry, that barrier, was dismissed pretty quickly”.
Being a single foster parent
Foster families come in all shapes and sizes, and many people foster as a single carer. With the level of support ISP provide, our foster parents are never left alone to face any challenges and always have someone on hand to reach out to for advice or guidance.
Linda shared “As a single parent, you think ‘can I do it?’ And I think it all depends on you as a foster carer. Your personality, your abilities and the child that you’re matched with. It shouldn’t put you off long as you’ve got a network of people around you, including the company you work with. Then once you know the ins and outs of everything, it’s worth it.”
Download our Fostering Guide
If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent with ISP, then download our helpful guide to discover everything you need to know about fostering.
Choosing ISP
There are many fostering providers to choose from when you’re thinking about becoming a foster parent, and these can vary massively.
Linda explained why she chose to foster with ISP: “I chose ISP for various reasons. There are a lot of companies out there, so I looked at quite a lot and did my research, and I was drawn to ISP because of the therapeutic side, and how they really promote therapeutic care. I liked their nurturing approach. And I felt the warmth, and the sincerity from ISP – people genuinely want to do the best they can”.
She added: “ISP are really good. It’s a great company. They’re very supportive. The training is fantastic. Their sincerity and honesty. They have different local teams who are amazing. You’re in a safe space, you’ve got the support, and I know I can phone anybody at any time.”
Special moments and transformations
As a foster parent, you can witness many moments of progress, and it is incredibly rewarding knowing the difference you have made to a child’s life. Linda is extremely passionate about fostering and has completely transformed the lives of her two foster children.
“I love fostering because you’ve given these kids a chance” she said “and the biggest thing is when you see their little faces of achievement. My boys have just learned to ride a bike and it’s so heart-warming. They came from a situation where they didn’t have food on the table. They were scared of their own shadows. And the little one hadn’t really been to school so he hadn’t learned anything, didn’t know how to read. Now both boys are top readers in their year”.
Making a difference in the face of challenges
Fostering can come with challenges, but Linda sees these moments as part of laying the groundwork for a more hopeful future. She shared her insight: “On the other side of challenges you may face, you’re building the foundations. That’s what’s going to, ultimately, enable them to have happy, fulfilling lives as they grow older. You’re breaking their cycle.”
“When you see that little being in front of you, that little innocent soul standing in front of you wide eyed and wondering what is going on, then you just want to do what’s right by them”
Linda spoke about how fostering can have such a huge impact on their future: “You’re teaching them a better choice and you’re giving them the tools they need. Hopefully your foundation is solid – they need you to be a solid piece of concrete, not a load of broken stones on the ground. And, from there, you’ll see their growth, and they will build their own success.”
Advice on fostering
Linda offers advice to others who are thinking of fostering:
“You have to have the genuine reason of compassion and that want to better the lives of little people, innocent souls that have just found themselves in difficult situations. You need to have a big heart – a lion’s heart of courage, bravery, compassion and understanding. And you need reams of patience.”
“No matter whether you’re in your 20s or your 60s, go into fostering because it’s the best job ever. It’s hard, but you’re changing people’s lives. You’re giving people a chance. Why wouldn’t you want to do that? ISP will give you all this training, and they will support you. You get to change someone’s possibilities in life, and that’s everything”.
Whether you’re an experienced foster parent interested in transferring fostering agency to ISP, or are new to fostering and want to know more, please get in touch with our experienced team by calling 0800 0857 989 or submitting an enquiry.
Fostering stories
Learn more about transferring today
Transferring to ISP is easier than you think. Speak to one of our fostering advisors today.
Just some reasons to transfer to ISP…
- UK’s most established fostering agency
- Leaders in therapeutic foster care
- We’ll match your allowance at the very least, but often we can beat it
- Wrap-around support from a local team of social workers, therapists, education specialists, and more
- An unrivalled therapeutic training programme
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