Kylie and Lee are foster carers in Bishop Auckland who care for young children and babies alongside their own family.
They became foster carers after Kylie had to step back from her role in adult social care following spinal surgery and wanted to continue working in a caring role that made a difference. Looking back, they say it was the best decision.
"I loved my job, and I still wanted to do something that involved caring for people and that was when we decided to look at fostering," Kylie explains.
Alongside the children they foster, Kylie and Lee also have two children of their own, a son at Primary school and teenage daughter. Both children have been supportive from the start and enjoy being part of a busy family.
Now, with both a baby and a young child in their care, Kylie shares with us how the family's days are full, structured and built around everyday family life.
"My day starts at 6:30am," says Kylie. "I get up and then get the kids up at 7am."
Mornings are busy from the start, with nappy changes, bottle feeding and breakfast prep all happening at once.
There are packed lunches to sort, school bags to check but they like to spend time together before the day properly begins.
"Reading together before school is something we love to do as part of our routine."
Busy mornings with little ones
With a baby in the house, much of the morning is about play and development.
"There's a lot of sensory play with the baby and playgroups too."
Getting out and about is also part of the day, helping the children build confidence and settle into everyday activities.
"I love seeing how much they thrive and grow, knowing we are making a difference in their lives."
Out and about
After school drop-offs, the day often includes time at playgroups and at weekends, the family loves to head out on adventures.
"We love family days out like Lightwater Valley or seeing the animals at farms."
Like many families, plans can change depending on the children's needs, but having a routine helps everything run more smoothly.
After school and time together
As the children come home, the focus shifts back to time together.
"I love hearing how their day has been at school and what they have learnt."
There's time for playing, dinner, chatting and spending time as a family, with relationships growing naturally through those everyday moments.
Bedtimes follow a familiar routine, helping the children settle and feel secure.
The best part of the day
"Seeing them all play together and hearing them acting all silly, it makes us smile."
Since becoming foster carers
Since becoming foster carers, Kylie and Lee have welcomed several children into their home, including babies straight from hospital and they now couldn't imagine their life wihout fostering.
"This is a very rewarding job, but I don't think of it as a job - they are part of the family."
The couple say providing stability and routine is key.
"They need a loving, stable, caring home and consistent routines - and we like a good routine. Part of what we do is being there when children get upset to help them understand their feelings."
"I love fostering," says Kylie. "It's like I was always meant to be a foster carer."
Enquire to be a foster carer
You can explore the benefits of fostering and types of fostering on our website to get a better feel for how fostering might work for you. To register your interest with no commitment go to our enquiry form or call 0800 917 7771. Our hub advisers are ready and waiting to answer any questions you might have, big or small and can also arrange for you to speak to a foster carer buddy.
