Transferring to Foster Wales Swansea has been one of the best things I've done

For as long as Wendy Jenkins can remember she'd always wanted to be a foster carer, however circumstances always prevented her until a friend who worked within a fostering team spoke to Wendy about offering respite.

Initially, Wendy joined an independent fostering agency, offering respite for mainly young people who are over the age of 11 years.

She said: "Due to still working full-time and being heavily involved with my two young grandchildren, offering regular respite suits my needs and it means that I can support other foster carers with a much-needed service.

"I love having these young people come over to stay. In one of my roles, I worked with young care leavers so I am aware of how they feel about being in care and how important it is to have the right foster carer who will take the time to listen, offer to find solutions, and give advice about their worries."

Wendy stayed with her agency for four years but made the decision to transfer over to Foster Wales Swansea last year.

She added: "My initial reasoning for moving to Foster Wales Swansea was mainly because the young person I had on respite was being placed with a Foster Wales Swansea fosterer. Two years later, and lots of pizza and big chats, he is still coming to me on respite and is a big part of our family."

Many agency foster carers worry transferring over to Foster Wales Swansea - the council's fostering service - will take too long and they will receive lesser payments, which isn't the case.

Wendy said: "The benefits of being with Foster Wales Swansea are the children are local, there are lots of training opportunities, the support groups are local, and we are provided with regular and up-to-date information.

"I have met so many wonderful children with wonderful characters and they've brought so much joy into my home. If I have needed support, I have always been able to contact someone within the department for advice and information. I have also been fortunate to have a fantastic supervising social worker, who has provided me with the right level of support that I've needed."

And whilst, fostering can be challenging at times, foster carers will always say that the rewards outweigh the challenges.

Wendy said: "I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that fostering is one of the hardest jobs I've ever done but the rewards are totally amazing. I told a friend who was thinking about becoming a foster carer, not to think about it, just do it! I offered them the Foster Wales Swansea number there and then."

Foster Wales Swansea are looking for people to be part of a community which encourages children in foster care to have high aspirations, reassuring them that they can achieve anything they want through their support and commitment.

Council Cabinet member for Care Services, Louise Gibbard, said: "Local communities are key in increasing our local authority foster carer cohort, whether that's people coming forward who haven't fostered before, or independent fostering agency foster carers taking the step to transfer over. If you're interested in fostering or transferring over, get in touch with the Foster Wales Swansea team for an informal chat."

If you would like to find out more about fostering, as well as chat to foster carers, Foster Wales Swansea are holding an information event on Wednesday 18^th September, 6-8pm in the Community Room based at Tesco Llansamlet.

For more information about fostering, and how to transfer, visit:www.swansea.fosterwales.gov.wales