I love being a foster carer!
Susan Green, a single mum with two daughters of her own, specialises in caring for children with special needs and disabilities, and has been a carer since 1992.
"I can still remember the first child placed with me and I realised straight away that it was the right thing for me to do and was the right thing for my family. After that, I've taken on more and more and my level of commitment has become more intensive and full time.
"Fostering is brilliant, I love it," she said. "Of course sometimes it can turn your life upside-down, especially the emergency care. A child can turn up in the middle of the night, scared and traumatised. And it's your job to make them feel safe and cared for. It is a challenge and that's why I love it.
"Of course it's not for everybody, but the spectrum of care packages available means there is something that would suit most people - you don't have to be a two-parent family or have your own children to be a good foster carer".
Susan admits that fostering can be tough.
"My foster children have contact with their birth families as it is in their best interests and you have to keep that in mind. And handing the children back is horrid, but it's part of the job. It's not necessarily sad because you know that you have rehabilitated a family. You have done the best that you can for the child and helped them through a transition.
"There is lot of support and training as well as support at the end of the telephone, and a network of other carers locally that you can speak to.
"My daughters are now 21 and 19, so I now look after three youngsters full time. A 14 year old girl, a 7 year old boy and a 6 year old boy - who are all part of the family."
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Contact information
For further information about this page please contact:
Social Care Officer, Child Care
Lime Tree House, Castle Street, Alloa, FK10 1EX
Tel: 01259 225000 / 450000 Fax: 01259 225004
Email: childcare@clacks.gov.uk
Or use the on-line contact form
