Saying thank you to our foster carers

Between now and next weekend, we’ll be delivering flowers to all Southampton’s foster carers to say ‘thank you’ ahead of Mother’s Day.

Foster carers are our looked after children’s most valuable asset. Providing a stable, caring and nurturing home, the extraordinary commitment that is made by ordinary people may sometimes seem like it is going unnoticed.

So this Mother’s Day we’d like to say a big thank you to our foster carers for everything they do. Working with the Flower Factory – who generously donated the flowers – we will be presenting bouquets to our foster carers as a small gesture of our appreciation for the outstanding contribution that they make.

Our social workers will visit foster carers at their homes in the run up to Mother’s Day and present the flowers to them in person.

Cllr Jeremy Moulton, cabinet member for Children’s Services, and Alistair Neill, Chief Executive of Southampton City Council, will present a special bouquet to foster carer Janette Masterman at 1pm on Wednesday 14 March in the Civic Centre reception.

Janette has been making a difference for vulnerable children and young people in Southampton for nearly eight years. During this time she has had eight long-term placements and numerous respite placements. Her first was for two brothers who returned to their birth family after two and a half years.

Janette is currently caring for two young children with complex health issues that have made the placements highly demanding.

Janette said: “When you foster, you go on a journey with a child, and when you see them smile you realise you’re making a real difference.

“I’ve stayed in touch with every child I’ve looked after - it’s like having an extended family. Fostering is challenging, but it’s also very rewarding.”

Cllr Moulton said: “Foster carers like Janette make a huge difference to the lives of some of our most vulnerable children and young people so I am really pleased that we are able to show our gratitude in this way.

“We know that children have better chances in life if they are able to live in a stable family environment and this is why it is so important that we continue to recruit foster carers across the city.”

If you think you could make a difference to the life of a vulnerable child or young person, give our fostering team a call on 0800 519 18 18 or visit our fostering pages.

PHOTOS - Margaret Hill with the Mayor of Southampton at the Foster Carers Ball (top) and Linda Taylor receiving flowers last year.