Jo White

The seed was planted early in my career about fostering. As a teacher working with children from varied backgrounds, I saw first-hand the challenges facing some of our children and young people in Scotland. There is a huge need for safe, stable and loving homes to ensure every child can reach their full potential.  

My husband and I had many conversations over the years about fostering and what we wanted our future to look like. We decided that providing a loving and safe environment for children who needed support was our calling.

We wanted to find out as much information as possible before we started the process to make sure it was right for us and to understand the options that were available to us. We contacted Perth and Kinross Council and were assigned a social worker who talked us through the full process, fostering options and what would work best for our family.

It didn’t take too much time to decide after our initial meeting that we knew it was right for us. The social worker took us through the assessment process — it was a thorough process as you would expect but it was almost like therapy. As a couple and individually, we had to reflect on our own childhoods, strengths, support network and relationship. It was an opportunity to sit, listen and understand our own experiences and each other better.

The process allowed for us to be honest and open about which type of fostering would work best for our careers and life, there are more options that I think people realise. We knew that a newborn baby or toddler wouldn’t be possible due to job commitments however, as I work with primary school aged pupils, we knew this age group would be where our skill set could best support.

Once all the assessments were complete, we initially became interim carers but quickly realised we would love to offer a long term placement, and now have 2 teenage girls living with us. We are also approved for short break care and enjoy having children join our family as and when is needed.

The girls have quickly become part of our family, and our extended family and friends have fully embraced them with so much love and support. It’s so rewarding seeing the girls thrive with great progress in school and giving them opportunities they have never experienced before.

There is a community within Perth, that is a true support network for foster carers. I’m continually learning from our social worker and other carers through regular training session or just grabbing a coffee. Everyone has the same goal to ensure the children are cared for and have stability alongside, and that the carers have the tools they need to create that safe haven. 

Through our experience, we encourage friends, colleagues and our community to become foster carers and be realistic about what would be possible with their lifestyle, even for short-term or emergency fostering support is essential. The process has taught me to be more patient and improved our work/life balance. It highlights the importance of family time even just ensuring I’m home from work to take the girls for a walk with the dogs. You can truly change a child’s life, I encourage anyone interested to contact their local council for more information.