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We've recently celebrated five years of Foster Wales - and most importantly, what that's meant for children and young people.
Together, we've helped more children stay connected to the people, places and communities that matter most to them.
Over the past five years, we've:
🏡Supported more children to stay local
👫Helped brothers and sisters stay connected
🌟Created more welcoming starts for children entering care
None of this would be possible without our dedicated foster carers and the wider community who support fostering in Carmarthenshire. Thank you for being part of the journey.
"When you're taken into foster care, it can be really scary"
No child should have to arrive at a stranger's door not knowing who would answer.
Sophia grew up in foster care and remembers the uncertainty she felt as a child entering a new home.
Today, she's sharing her experience to help others understand the difference foster carers can make and how one caring person can change the direction of a child's life. Her story may even inspire you to take the first step on your own fostering journey.
Her experience is a powerful reminder that small acts of kindness, stability and reassurance can have a lasting impact💜
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Sophia recalls the fear and uncertainty of arriving at an unfamiliar home without knowing who would be opening the door.
That's why Foster Wales introduced Big Welcome - helping children learn more about the foster family before they arrive. Through photos and personalised information about the home, family members and pets, children can begin to feel a sense of familiarity at what can be an overwhelming time.
"Something like the Big Welcome portal would have really mattered to me growing up. To see a face before you arrive, to hear a voice, to know one or two ordinary things about the people and the home. It doesn’t take the fear away completely, but it gives you a clearer picture. Something to hold on to.”
It's a simple idea, but one that's helping to create warmer, more welcoming starts for children entering care. Because when a child feels prepared, supported and expected, it can make all the difference.
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Could you be part of a child's story?
Behind every positive fostering story is someone who chose to make a difference.
Fostering isn't always easy, but it can be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do. It takes someone special. Someone patient, caring and resilient.
If Sophia's story has made you think about the difference you could make, we'd love to hear from you.
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