For Nikki, becoming a foster carer was not something she had planned to do straight away. But after a change in perspective, she and her husband decided there was no reason to wait.
Now, more than a year into fostering with Derbyshire County Council, Nikki describes it as “the most rewarding thing we’ve ever done.”
Making the decision to foster
Nikki says fostering was something she had expected to consider later in life. But after losing her dad four years ago, she began to look at things differently.
“It just put everything into perspective. Me and my husband just said, you know, tomorrow’s not guaranteed.”
The couple decided to take the opportunity to do something they felt passionate about.
“It’s something we feel passionate about doing. And so yeah, we applied to be foster carers and not wait.”
For Nikki, the decision has been about making a positive difference while also enjoying the experience as a family.
Finding the right type of fostering
Nikki and her husband currently foster children aged up to two. Their approval works around their family circumstances, as they have two daughters still living at home and do not currently have a spare bedroom.
Their foster child sleeps in their room, which means they can provide care for a young child while their own children are still at home.
Nikki says the arrangement works well for her family at the moment. As her children get older and her eldest eventually leaves home, she hopes they may be able to look at fostering a different age group in the future.
“But for now, it just works fairly well with our family.”
Seeing the difference
One of the things Nikki enjoys most is watching a child develop and reach new milestones.
With her own children now much older, fostering has given her the chance to experience those early stages again – from crawling and walking to seeing the happiness those everyday achievements can bring.
“It’s just like going through all those milestones again and just seeing the joy that they bring to you.”
For Nikki, the relationship that develops is also an important part of fostering.
“Just seeing how far they’ve come in all this time and just having that strong bond and attachment, it just makes all the difference.”
A rewarding experience
Nikki says fostering has brought a real sense of reward to her and her family.
“It’s been the most rewarding thing we’ve ever done.”
Her experience shows that fostering can fit around different family circumstances and that there is not necessarily a need to wait until life looks a certain way before considering becoming a foster carer.
For Nikki, the most important thing is the difference that a safe, caring and committed adult can make to a child.
And her message to anyone who is thinking about fostering is simple:
“Just go for it. Like you won’t regret it. It’s so rewarding and it just, yeah, each day just there’s so much joy from doing it.”
Could fostering be right for you?
There is no one type of person who can foster, and no single fostering journey. What matters is being able to offer a child care, stability and support.
If you are thinking about fostering, Foster for East Midlands Councils can help you find out more about what is involved and the different types of fostering available.
Could you make a difference to a child’s life?
Find out more on Foster for East Midlands web page, call 03033 132 950 or email [email protected]
Watch and listen to Nikki explain her journey in the video below.