A mum and daughter who foster together have welcomed more than a dozen children into their home in three years.
Ammanys, 24, and her mum Louise, 49, have been fostering for the last three years welcoming children of a variety of ages into their home.
Ammanys, Carmarthenshire foster carer, said:
“It’s always something my mother wanted to do but she decided she was going to wait until I had finished university. Then we decided to foster together.”
Ammanys said fostering as a mother and daughter team has been a strength in their approach to caring for children who need a loving home.
“I think the intergenerational approach helps. We see things differently to each other and that helps us gel with different ages. It gives us that edge. We work together well as a team.”
To help children feel welcome in their home, the pair established a tradition of letting any new arrivals mark their fingerprint on a family tree.
“It’s a mark of the day they come to us. It doesn’t matter how long they stay with us, they will always have a place here. It’s a scary time and it doesn’t matter how long they have been in care it’s still the same.”
Ammanys said they have both found joy in being foster carers and recommend it to others.
“It’s really rewarding. It’s fantastic to see the children develop and to notice their little wins. Once they get to a point where they feel safe it can make a huge difference. We have done lots of short-term fostering and to know you have done something, even small, to make a bit of a difference is rewarding.”
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services, Children and Families, Cllr Jane Tremlett, said:
“It’s wonderful to see families like Ammanys and Louise open their hearts and their home to children and young people who need stability, care, and love. Their story is a perfect example of how fostering can bring families together and make a lasting difference in a child’s life.”
get in touch
For more information about fostering with your local authority in Carmarthenshire, or to make an enquiry, contact us.
If you live elsewhere in Wales, visit Foster Wales to find your local authority team.
