When Greg and Jenny were asked to provide temporary care for Dylan*, a 6-month-old baby with a developmental disability, it was not something that they had considered as part of their foster care journey.
A doctor and a midwife with three children of their own, they cared for about twelve children over the past two years. Jenny’s aunt was also a foster carer and she believes that it only takes a few weeks of good caring to gain the benefits of knowing one significant person.
Dylan’s parents both had mild developmental disabilities and were unable to care for him safely at home. During the temporary placement with Greg and Jenny, we tried to find a family to raise Dylan and he was placed with a family member. Unfortunately, that placement was unsuccessful and Greg and Jenny were again asked to take care of Dylan, this time on a long term basis.
Taking on responsibility for long term care of Dylan would not only impact on them as carers but also on their children. Dylan’s needs were already significant and he was only one year old.
Greg and Jenny discussed it with their children and together they came to the conclusion they had made a commitment to care for Dylan in the past, and now he needed them more than ever.
Dylan sees his parents at supervised contact every second month. Contact goes well when it occurs, but his parents regularly change the day to coincide with their pension date and other personal priorities. While this can be frustrating to both Dylan and his carers, it is important to remember that fostering is about ‘belonging’.
That means not only providing a safe, nurturing environment for a child, but also recognising and maintaining their connections with those who have been significant to them and maintaining relationships that link them to their identity. It is the role of the foster carer to create opportunities and environments for this to happen when the birth family can’t.
Jenny and Greg appreciate the regular monthly respite that gives them a break and ongoing case management support from a MacKillop staff member.
It has helped them to give Dylan a safe and stable home for nine years.
Dylan is now an energetic 10-year-old, who loves gardening and lawn mowing. He attends school five days a week in the support class and is developing well with Greg and Jenny’s loving foster care and professional expertise as a doctor and nurse.
*Name changed to protect privacy
