Foster Care Stories
Gameel’s story
“Team Fostering was like a family”.
Now 21, Gameel came to live with Team Fostering foster carer Catherine when he was 14. The right combination of care and routine balanced with freedom changed his outlook and he’s now thriving – living independently and loving a job working in aerodynamics.
Gameel explains: “It was a little bit stressful coming into care. But I had people there at Team Fostering helping me at every step.”
The difference my foster carer made
Gameel explains what it was like living with his foster carer.
“It was just like a normal family,” he says. “Being in foster care put me in a much more positive position.
“I was nothing but a pain at home. After being put into care, as I was growing up I started to realised how much I’d been helped by Catherine and I could recognise the work Catherine put in to help me.
“I still see her most Sundays. I go to her house and I walk the dogs with her.”
How Team Fostering activities helped
For Gameel, getting stuck into the activities provided by Team Fostering’s Education and Support Service was invaluable to him.
“I remember doing quite a few activities,” he says. “It was fun. It takes your mind off issues you might be having. It’s a distraction. It motivates you to do things.
“Project Listen and Life Skills were excellent. I now know how to do things that I wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. It made me feel like my opinions were appreciated and it’s helped me be able to speak to people.
“I still talk to quite a few of the other young people I was with.”
The benefit of one-to-one support
During a particularly difficult period for Gameel, he was supported one-to-one by Steve, Team Fostering’s Education and Support Manager in the Yorkshire and East Midlands region.
Gameel remembers: “At one point Catherine was having a bit of a difficult time with me. Steve used to take me out and do activities together.
“Catherine got a breather, I got a breather and I got to do something fun. I enjoyed it. It helped me relax a little bit and showed me it’s not just Catherine I’ve to show respect for, I’ve got to show respect for everyone.”
Support to get a job
Team Fostering, alongside carer Catherine also helped inspire what he wanted his future to look like.
“Team Fostering had speakers come in and talk about different jobs which got me thinking about work. I wasn’t particularly good with education so it gave me that push towards work and help me decide what I wanted to do.
“Catherine still helps me now. She helped me do my CV and her neighbour helped me get my job.
“I work in a factory with aerospace. It’s different day to day so it’s fun to do.”
My advice to future foster carers
Gameel reflects on what approach worked for him as a young person, to share with new foster carers.
He said, “Kids might seem like they’re a pain to begin with but when they settle into a routine it makes their life a little bit easier.
“Having a good routine is really important. I can now get up to an alarm, I don’t just sit and do nothing, I go out.
“Team Fostering was like a family.”