Downpatrick couple enjoy giving helping hand as foster parents

Downpatrick couple enjoy giving helping hand as foster parents

13 December 2023

A DOWNPATRICK couple have welcomed the launch of a new children’s disability fostering project.

Gerard and Marion Lennon have been fostering for over three decades and are supporting the South Eastern Trust’s new service launched last week.

With a significant number of families who would currently benefit from a short break, the new service will provide essential support to those caring for children with disabilities who often require additional care and support, with the new service connecting foster carers who can provide short breaks to families who need.

It is also designed to offer short breaks to children with severe disabilities and provide their parents with valuable time for themselves, while ensuring their children receive care and support in a nurturing environment.

With over 30 years’ experience as foster carers, Gerard and Marion Lennon have welcomed countless children and young people to their Downpatrick home and have been providing 

weekend short breaks for a family within the health trust area since their daughter, who is now three, was four months old. 

The Downpatrick couple explained how this gives “mum and dad a chance to recharge their batteries once a month and when the child comes to the house, she just runs in as if she hasn’t left”.

The couple said they welcome the child into their home once a month, describing her as as a typical three year-old with additional needs who very much knows her own mind.

Marion has also stressed the importance of forging “good relationships” with parents.

“It is vital as you are part of a bigger jigsaw. By becoming a foster carer you are able to give a family that time to get stronger, parents are placed in the centre,” she explained.

Gerard said he would encourage those who may be thinking of becoming a foster carer to a child with a learning difficulty or disability to “go do it and try, dip your foot in the water” and that he would say try the short breaks care. 

He added: “Each child is unique, if the thought is there with people, then definitely give it a go. Don’t be fearful as there is plenty of support and the team are only a telephone call away.”

Parents Clifford and Natasha – who avail of short breaks with the foster carers – said it gives them time for themselves.

“If you don’t take care of yourself you’ll not be able to care for others,” they said. “We get to spend time together as a couple and do normal things which are sometimes hard to do.”

Lorraine Noade, head of the health trust’s Children’s Disability Services, said foster carers do a “fantastic job” and it’s because of that that the organisation believes it’s important to develop the project. 

She explained the focus of the service is two-fold, in that it is to continue to develop overnight short breaks fostering for children with disabilities and to try and identify specific placements for the small number of children that we have who can’t live at home. 

“This is a really important project as it’s very much based on feedback and consultation with our parents,” said Lorraine, explaining how the overnight short break aspect of the project will be of huge benefit to those parents caring for a child with disabilities and/or complex health needs. 

“Our parents have been very clear in that they feel that there is a real need to develop overnight short breaks with foster carer’s and they can really see how beneficial it would be to them,” she continued.

“Their children have severe disabilities and/or complex health needs and can often have a disruptive sleep pattern. Some of the things we take for granted such as an interrupted night’s sleep can be a real challenge for our parents and for many a rare occurrence.”

Lorraine said with an overnight short break with foster carers, children will get to know, it gives the parent a chance to develop really positive relationships with another family so that they feel confident the foster carers can look after their precious children and give them the break they require.

She continued: “The children that we work with do have severe disabilities or can have very complex health needs, they are amazing children with their own personalities, likes and dislikes. 

“When our team is speaking with the parents or the carers, when they talk about the children, they talk about them with great joy, there is such a passion for them because they are each so wonderful.”

Lorraine added: “I think for any person who is considering becoming a foster carer as part of this service they need to hear that message, a child with a disability is nothing to be afraid of, they are children first and yes they do have additional needs and are to be embraced.”

Anyone interested in providing a family with short break care or for further information on the fostering service, telephone 0800 0720 137 or visit www.adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net