Mark and Jenny's story

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to become a foster carer? Meet Mark and Jenny. They’ve been foster carers for more than four decades and they share more about their story of becoming carers below: 

“We’ve been foster carers for 42 years, and this is our last year of fostering. We have classed nine children as our family, over the years.  

When we first learnt about foster care, we weren’t able to have children. At first, we were interested in adoption. However, the Department introduced us to the possibility of becoming foster carers. I don’t think many other people were doing it at the time. I had never heard of it before. 

The most memorable moment, since becoming foster carers, was when we fostered our first child. I remember that we’d been going through IVF and one Monday I was crying on the phone to Mark because we’d been unsuccessful. Then, that afternoon, we got a call to say we’d been approved for Carlie* and we could get her on the Thursday. 

You could say it felt like a real roller coaster of emotions, but it was so exciting! 

Our advice to anyone who wants to become a foster carer is that you’ve got to put a lot of thought into it. You’ve got to have the heart to do it because it’s not always easy. You might have them for two or three years and then they go back to their parents.

You’ve got to be a strong person and if you want to do it enough - you’ll do it. At the end of the day, you are saving somebody’s life. Whether it be for a year or three months, you’re making a difference.  

We’ve been with Anglicare for about ten years. Since moving to Anglicare, we’ve received so much more support. They were always there to listen, and I haven’t had a moment where I haven’t been able to get a hold of them. It means a lot, because we certainly needed their support at times. 

Being foster carers has shaped us in many ways, but it’s been very rewarding. We’ve been there to see the kids grow up and we’ve been able to call them our family. I wouldn’t change it for the world.” 

Learn more about the stories of other foster carers, by clicking here. Have a question about foster care? Get in touch!