Teddy bears help ease foster care goodbyes

An 11-year-old girl from Leicestershire has created a teddy bear tradition to help her stay connected with foster children who become part of her family.

Millie, whose parents foster with Leicestershire County Council, came up with the idea to make saying goodbye a little easier when children move on to the next stage of their journey.

She said she buys two identical teddies so she and the foster child can each have one to cuddle while they are living with her family.

They will then swap teddies when the foster children leave the home.

"This means that my teddy has all the baby's cuddles on it, and the teddy they take with them has all my cuddles on it," she said.

"I know then that they will always remember me, and I hope my teddy makes them smile. It makes me feel better because then I know part of them is still here."

Millie's family was approved to foster in 2022, and has welcomed five foster children so far.

Her mother Becky said: "Fostering was something I've always, always wanted to do but I wanted our birth children to be of an age to have their say in whether they wanted to do it.

"And we all sat down as a family and decided that we wanted to do it."

Millie's father, Adam, said: "It's just amazing when you get the child come in to your home and you just bring them up from birth, up until they find their forever home or they go back to their parents."

Millie said at first it felt "a little bit different" when the foster children came to live with the family, but that she now "loves it" when they arrive.

"I treat them just like I would my own brother or sister. I play with them, share my toys and make sure they are included in everything we do as a family, so they feel like they belong," she said.

Along the way, she has shared important milestones with her foster siblings, including celebrating first birthdays and helping younger children learn to crawl, walk and talk.

She said fostering had helped her appreciate what she has.

"Fostering has made me realise how lucky I am to be at home with my mummy and daddy," she said.

Leicestershire County Council said it provides specialist support for the children of foster carers, recognising the important role they play in helping foster children feel settled and welcomed.

Councillor Charles Pugsley, the authority's lead member for children and families, said: "Millie's contribution to her family's fostering efforts cannot be overstated.

"Like so many other foster carers' birth children, she plays an immensely important role in helping our children in care feel safe and welcomed at what can often be a complex time.

"I sincerely thank all of our foster carers and their families for the difference they make in our children's lives."

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