A NEW fostering awareness campaign has been launched to help find loving homes for over 5,000 children badly in need of family care in Ireland.
HSE Foster Teams are urging families in urban areas like Dublin North West to adopt the campaign’s theme to
‘change a life’ and become a foster carer.
One local parent already taking on the challenge is Iggy Gunning, who decided to start fostering children from Dublin North West when his own kids became teenagers.
“I’ve two grown up sons aged 29 and 23,
? he told Northside People.
“We started fostering when the youngest guy was in his mid-teens. We thought we did a half decent job on them and felt there were other children out there who needed a bit of care and attention so we said we’d give it a go.
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Over the years the Gunnings have fostered about 15 children of various ages. Some have needed care for just a week, while others have remained with the family for over eight years.
It’s a challenge that can be emotional and Iggy has seen children come from all kinds of difficult backgrounds.
“There’s voluntary care where the parents might have a drug or alcohol problem and they’ll voluntarily put their children into fostering until such time as they can look after them again,
? he explained.
“But then there’s parents who just go AWOL and never come back.
“It is very hard and you have to remember is that it’s somebody else’s child and if the circumstances for the child are right to go back, they go back.
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Foster parents have no say in making the decision as to when a fostered child should go back to their birth parents. Their sole duty is to provide a loving home until, or if, that day arrives. It’s a selfless task, but one that’s crucial for the fostered children.
“You’re completely attached and you’ve devoted weeks, months or even years to this child so when they leave it can be like a bereavement,
? said Iggy.
“In fact, it can be treated as such and you can get counselling for it. It can really, really affect you.
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There are currently 4,292 foster carers in Ireland providing care to 5,892 children. Fostering is the backbone of the childcare service and without people like the Gunnings, thousands of children could be forced into institutional homes.
“It’s an awful state of affairs to think that children need to be looked after and it can’t be done by their parents,
? added Iggy.
“But there’s thousands of children who need this care.
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Iggy said that while fostering is a huge commitment, it’s not without its rewards.
“I wouldn’t make light of fostering in any way at all,
? he stated.
“Anybody who’s thinking of doing it should think long and hard about it.
“But if you have a good heart and are willing to put in the time and the effort, you really should consider it. It’s a bit of a vocation but in saying that the rewards are immense. To see young children coming from various levels of abuse and neglect and moving on to mature and become wonderful young people is just great.
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?¢ If you’re interested in becoming a foster carer, contact the HSE on 1850-241850 or visit www.fostering.ie