“We feel that this year has been very challenging – it has nearly broken us. Without the amazing support, guidance and commitment from both Hannah & Nigel we would have no doubt failed as Foster Parents. Through recent struggles we have faced – which have been enormous struggles – they have both offered above and beyond services for us as a family. We attend regular day events which we thoroughly enjoy, and it brings all together as Foster Parents, foster children and our families – and this assures us that no matter how tough everyday life can be that we are not alone.

Thank you so much.”

4th December 2019

Fostering for us has been challenging, eye opening and rewarding. We have been put through a rollercoaster of emotions and pushed beyond our limits - limits we didn’t know we were capable of overcoming. It’s not until you make it through the challenges that you realise how you can still make a placement work. You can still offer the child support and you can still help in making that child’s life a better one. That’s all it takes - for a child to say “This is the best birthday I have ever had”, understand that you are trying you best to help and look after them, or a simple “sorry”. When they tell you they want to remain in placement and are happy that is the peak of fostering. 

We have had our ups and downs, but the ups are worth the downs. We have grown stronger as a couple and faced every situation the best we can.

Hannah and Nigel are amazing. They go above and beyond their job roles. They are always there to offer advice and support and help you see when you are in the wrong or your head is clouded. We couldn’t ask for better Social Workers. They put our children first and have a good relationship with them. They always put on activities and include the children. 

8th July 2019

Nigel was always totally honest and extremely supportive to us as a couple that had never fostered before. His professional yet friendly manner enabled us to have a transparent approach to the new venture we were undertaking, not only as a couple but also as a family.  

The matching of our placement and his life’s problems with our family has been so successful we still have him with us in the family today – 15 years on. We have some down times but so many ‘up’ times. He has a job locally and has become a confident young gentleman.

The safeguarding advice they both gave us to protect us as a couple and as a family became like a second skin to us - comfortable practices such as ‘House Habits’ and ‘Reporting Events’ to name just a couple. The training they provided was relevant and allowed us to voice what it was really like as 24/7 Foster Carers. Our 15 years of fostering could not have been so successful if we had not had them. 

We are so very lucky to know them and learnt so much from them.

Silla & Ed Lloyd

Hay-on-Wye

January 2017