Growing up in poverty in Colombia and later being fostered herself, gave Luza an intimate understanding of the profound difference fostering can make to a child’s life. Wanting to foster children became an early ambition of hers and, when she and John met 11 years ago, they discovered this was a dream they shared.
John grew up in a household where social responsibility was a normal part of life and he’d always known that he wanted to help children who had been less fortunate than himself. In the early years of John and Luza’s relationship, the possibility of working together to make children’s lives better was a frequent topic of conversation and, when Luza saw a Banya Family Placement Agency leaflet in a shop window, they applied to become foster carers straight away.
“The foster application process was rigorous but also very exciting,” said John. “Banya left no stone unturned because they take children’s placements very seriously but they don’t expect you to be perfect, either, and it was a positive process with lots of support and encouragement. We were over the moon when we were approved for fostering!”
The two foster children currently in John and Luza’s care are both autistic. John says they were apprehensive about accepting the first of these placements when it was proposed five years ago because neither he nor Luza had any previous experience of autism, but everyone involved was adamant they were the right choice.
“We’re so glad we listened to them,” says John. “Our first child has been with us for five years now and will be with us until he’s an adult. Two years ago he was joined by another boy of a similar age and they are both just lovely — very much part of the family.”
John and Luza say the foster training provided by Banya was comprehensive and helpful and they are now often asked for advice about autism from other foster carers at the monthly carers’ support group that Banya runs.
“We’ve seen so much progress in both of the children, it’s just wonderful, and being able to exchange expertise with other foster carers is incredibly useful. The group is a brilliant resource and it’s also great to chat to other people who are also foster carers.”
John feels that it’s this kind of initiative, along with the monthly training workshops and ongoing support from Banya, which enables him and Luza to be the best foster carers they can be and do all they can to make the children feel cared for and secure.
“Seeing them thriving and happy is the best thing about fostering,” he said. “To know you’re giving a child the care and security that makes them content and gives them a better life is just unbelievably rewarding. The impact we have on them now will affect them for the rest of their lives, so we just want to give them all the care and attention they need, as well as lots of opportunities.”
Because of their connections to Colombia, John and Luza are able to bring different cultural experiences to the children in their care and take them with them on their visits to South America. This year they’re going to Colombia for Christmas and will be taking the whole household. As well as the two boys in their care, this also includes Luza’s son, who is now 17 and who John says has been a wonderful influence on the children.
“He’s been like a big brother to all the children we’ve fostered,” he said. “I think having spent some of his childhood in Colombia and seeing the abject poverty that exists there is part of the reason he’s so supportive. He knows how important it is for children to grow up in safe and loving homes where their needs are met. He’s a brilliant role model for the children.”
John and Luza are aware that fostering is not without its challenges, however, and they well remember the adjustment period they experienced when they first started fostering.
“We had to get used to having children living with us who were not our own and who we’d never seen before. That does take a little bit of getting used to but, when you do, it then just seems so normal you can’t imagine it being any different!”
The extraordinary rewards of fostering far outweigh any challenges and adjustments, they say, and they both think the support, training, encouragement and family-centred approach of Banya is a major factor in this.
“I’ve never felt more a part of something than I have since fostering with Banya,” said John. “Their motto is to ‘provide a sense of belonging’ but it’s not only the children they achieve this with — they make the foster carers feel like this too and I can honestly only praise them. We really feel like we are part of the Banya family — that’s a very special family to be part of as far as we’re concerned. I just think they’re amazing.”
