The Power of the Media

Because my wife and I have just appeared in Cheshire Life for our efforts at fostering, we have been complimented by those that read middle class magazines for our efforts. We appeared in Cheshire Life because my foster daughter put my wife forward to receive "Parent of the Year", and well deserved it was too.

It now appears that we are the only deserving foster parents in Cheshire, when quite the reverse is true. Yes it is arduous, difficult, emotionally demanding, and stressful, but there are thousands of others who work harder than we do, have more children than we do, but unfortunately do not have a foster daughter who had the foresight to put my wife Jan forward for a trophy.

The message we wanted to get across was that there is a dire need of foster parents. If you have a heart, have a go. You don't know how rewarding it can be until you try. Countrywide we need 10,000 more foster parents.

Sadly the government are cutting back so hard, who knows how much support we will continue to get. Undoubtedly things are a lot better than they used to be. Training in Cheshire is 100% better than some areas. We are in an affluent part of the country. Life must be much tougher in the inner cities where Councils are poorer, and need is greater.

So what am I saying? You don't know how much you will get out of fostering until you give it a try. We are much in need of the extended Family Type to replace the welfare state, but last time I looked they were knocking down Chimney Tops Housing Estates where Grandma used to be in charge of everything. Now we put her in a home to fester, cared for by well meaning underpaid professionals.