Teenager appeals for foster parents to help young people
Teenager Jessica Price is so passionate about the benefits of being fostered that she is happy to stand up in front of audiences to appeal to them to help young people in need of a home.
Jessica, from Winslow, who has been looked after by the same family for the last ten years, was asked to tell of her own experiences at a County Council fostering information session.
The aim was to encourage people to become foster parents and help the hundreds of children in the county currently in need of a new home.
And Jessica’s presentation last year (2015) was so stirring that it left her foster mother, Liz Calver, ‘choked’ with emotion.
Now both Jessica, 17, and Liz, 48, are appealing to more potential foster parents to come forward and attend the next information sessions whichare being held this month (January).
Jessica, who joined Liz and husband David and their four other children when she was aged just seven, said: “I don’t really feel like I’m fostered – I feel like part of the family because I have been living here for such a long time and because I get such a lot of support. I think it helps me a lot.
“Being fostered is fun, you do fun activities and get support with college, and you get a lot of support, love and care.”
She admits to being very nervous when she stood up in front of 50 to 60 people at the presentation in Aylesbury, but added: “I just felt like if I spoke about it, people would have an understanding of what it’s like to be fostered and have a happy home.”
Jessica has just started college and is studying animal care. Her first memory of the Calvers was when, aged seven, she was asked to decorate a tree with the family at Christmas.
Foster mum Liz said: “I was really proud of her at the fostering information session because it was a really difficult thing to do. She gave a little speech about what it was like and that she felt part of the family – and people asked her questions. She did well. I felt choked with pride.”
Liz, who is a teacher, says Jessica’s life with her and her family busts a lot of common myths about fostering, such as the one that working parents are not eligible.
“We are both working parents. If you can be creative and flexible in your work, it is still possible to foster,” she said. “It is worth inquiring if you think you are in a position to foster. You may think you won’t be considered because of the myths, but if it is something you want to do, you can get round it. It’s not about looking for the difficulties – it’s looking for the positives and doing something worthwhile with your life which you can enjoy at the same time.
“These information sessions are worth going to. People should attend and ask questions.”
Liz recently suffered from a rare and serious form of cancer of the appendix and says Jessica and the rest of her children were a huge help and source of pride to her through her illness.
She has now successfully recovered but said this also shows that fostering is possible even when you are ill.
And she added that her cancer also proved something else to her about fostering.
“I was seriously ill. When you are faced with that you look back at your life, I realised that fostering was one of the most worthwhile things I have done,” she said.
“Jessica is a confident and caring young lady. I am proud of the way she has grown up.”
The fostering information sessions are as follows:
- Aylesbury Information Session, January 13, 7pm – 8.30pm, at the Aylesbury Opportunities Centre,Thame Road South, Aylesbury HP21 8TS (8FR for SAT NAV)
- High Wycombe Information Session, January 20, 7pm – 8.30pm, at The Hub, Easton Street, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 1NJ
- Buckingham Information Session, January 27, 7pm – 8.30pm, at Buckingham Opportunities Centre, Well Street, Buckingham, MK18 1EN
For more information on fostering, go to http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/social-care/children-and-families/fostering/ or call 0800 160 1900