The "See you soon"s have been said..(and the tears have come)

[bloodywhitecat]

And I have just packed off our first foster child to their new, forever home.

We started fostering a year ago and she was our first, she was two and terrified of everything when she came to us. Men were always "bad", other children scared her to the point of rooting to the spot until they moved away. Now she is now 3, a child with friends, a little girl who likes "good" men and can say "I love you" to the men that matter in her life. She can run around the playground with the best of them and ask children she hasn't met before if they want to play.

The house feels quiet and her bedroom empty, so I've shut the door until I can face going in to strip her bad and get it ready for our second addition (who currently sleeps in a cot in our room but thinks 4.30am is the new 8am!).

Soon we will open our hearts to fosterling number 3 (and 4 and 5 and 6 and...) but today I am going to wallow in the journey we have just had and look forward to the path ahead.

Good luck fosterling, we wish you and your new family every success and happiness.

for you and the amazing job you do!

Best wishes.
(We found our ACs found it easier to meet on neutral territory rather than in our home or our FC's home.)

I think I've got something in my eye...

You are amazing OP, take it easy today

💐 from me too. We are so lucky to have wonderful people like you to lift up the little ones that have been hurt and abandoned

You just made me cry!
That poor little girl it sounds like you've made a huge difference in her life and you are amazing. She may well be too young to remember it all but hopefully you've helped shape the rest of her life into a better one ❤️

Bless you. I fostered a pre-teen many years ago, for 18 months. I was devastated when she left.
Not the same at all but I childminded for 16 years and was very sad to see the little ones leave.
You are doing an amazing thing. You should be so proud of yourself. Because of you these children have a chance.
It will be hard whenever they leave you but you will have given them your love and care and know that you have made a difference to their lives. For that you and I'm sure all of us are truely grateful.
Please take a little time for yourself to grieve if you need to and to remember how wonderful the experience was and how amazing you are. Take care. Best wishes 💐

. What an amazing thing you've done for that little girl.

Oh you lovely person. Look at how you've helped that child develop.

And its lovely that she now has a family of her own. That is the goal as I understand it but you helped her get there and you nurtured her to the point that she was no longer a scared little thing but a lovely little girl with the ability to now fill her heart with love.

I think you're amazing.

Well hopefully she now has a family who will love and nurture her forever but from what you say you loved her and nurtured her as she needed first and that's something you always have to be proud of. Well done.

Foster carers are the backbone of the care system and, as a social worker, I thank our lucky stars for people like you and your open hearts and homes that help to heal our wounded kids.

Such a hard day for you OP this must be a really horrible feeling, but you should be so proud of the positive impact you’ve had on that little girls life. Thank you for your incredible work

For you OP
I can't think of anything to say, I'm too choked up. Just... how fantastic and lovely and you are amazing. Thank you.

Aw OP x it must be so heartbreaking. But look at the amazing thing you did. Thanks to you this little girl is going to have a lovely life with a wonderful family.

Always a bitter sweet moment and I understand from foster carers I know that it won't get any easier - they grieve the loss of their foster children each and every time one moves on.

We are still in touch with our DC's foster carers and they have become almost like extended family members. It doesn't always work out like that sadly.

I personally think it's best for adopted children to maintain regular contact with their foster carers if possible. It obviously has to be managed carefully in the early days though.

Thank you for what you do - it means so much to adoptive parents to know how much their DC were loved and cared for by their foster carers 💐

you're amazing

Thank you so much for everything you've done for her. Foster parents are amazing.

This is a beautiful post and you're an amazing person to open up your home and heart to love and to nurture fragile children. It sounds like you've done an excellent job and I hope she has an easy transition.