PUKAAR MAGAZINE SPEAKS TO ONE OF LEICESTER CITY COUNCIL’S FOSTER CARERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE AND IMPACT OF FOSTERING.
Fostering is about giving love, support and care and providing local children in need with a home in which they can feel as stable as possible. With foster carers from all backgrounds and faiths, their patience and dedication to care makes a huge difference to children’s lives.
Smita and Bharat Kanani and their four daughters have been a foster family for Leicester City Council for the last four years. During this time they have looked after six children from new-born babies to toddlers.
Smita shares her experience about being a foster carer, “We came into fostering because we had heard such a lot about children who needed families like ours.
We talked about it as a family and decided that, between us, we can offer such a lot of love and friendship to children.”
Bharat spends less time with the children due to his job, but is still very involved, “When they first come to you, some of the children can be very withdrawn. But, once they get used to you, it is so rewarding to see them laughing and playing and knowing they feel settled. My daughters treat the children just as if they were their brothers and sisters. To us they are not ‘foster children’ – they are part of our family. You just have to let the children know that you care about them and will stick by them and you can see them start to relax and eat and sleep properly.”
“We miss every child we have fostered and we always will, but it is a great feeling to know they are safe and happy and that we have helped them to have such a good life from now on.”
To find out more about fostering, call 0116 454 4500 or visit www.leicester.gov.uk/fostering
