#24 - Gillian - The Unfiltered Truth About Fostering: What One Foster Carer Wants You to Know

**The Unfiltered Truth About Fostering: What One Foster Carer Wants You to Know** There are many ways to build a family. And there are many ways to be part of a village. Today's episode shines a light on one of the most generous, most profound, and most quietly extraordinary of them all. Today I am sitting down with Gillian — a foster carer with five, nearly six years of experience, a heart full of stories, and an honesty that I think will stay with you long after this episode ends. Gillian's journey into fostering began through her family. Her adult daughter was already a seasoned foster carer, and Gillian wanted to help. She started as a respite carer — stepping in to give full time carers the breaks they needed. And then she and her husband made the decision to take the next step. They became full time short term foster carers. And what followed has been one of the most meaningful chapters of their lives. In this conversation, Gillian walks us through all of it. The practical reality of becoming a foster carer — the process, the training, the assessments, the agencies. But more than that, she takes us into the lived experience of what fostering actually looks like day to day. The birthday celebrations. The holiday memories. The children who came through her door and left footprints on her heart forever. And she is honest — genuinely, refreshingly honest — about the harder parts too. Because fostering is not always easy. And Gillian wouldn't want you to think it was. This is a conversation for anyone who has ever wondered about fostering. Anyone who has thought about it and talked themselves out of it. Anyone who wants to understand what it really means to open your home to a child who needs somewhere safe to land. The village takes many forms. And Gillian's is one of the most remarkable we have had on this podcast. **In this episode we talk about:** - How Gillian's fostering journey began through her daughter - What respite fostering is and what it involves - The process of becoming a full time short term foster carer - The training, assessments and approval process - The reality of day to day life as a foster carer — the joys and the challenges - The memories made with children who passed through their home - The harder parts of fostering that don't always get talked about - What Gillian wishes more people understood about foster caring - Why the UK needs more foster carers — and why it might be for you **Thinking about fostering? Here is where to start:** - **GOV.UK — Becoming a Foster Parent** — the official government guidance on fostering in England, including who can foster, what the assessment involves, and how to get started: gov.uk/becoming-foster-parent - **Fosterline** — a free, confidential helpline for anyone thinking about fostering or with questions about the process. Call **0800 040 7675**, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, or visit fosterline.info - **The Fostering Network** — the UK's leading fostering charity, with guidance, support and resources for both prospective and current foster carers: thefosteringnetwork.org.uk - **National Fostering Group** — one of the UK's largest independent fostering agencies, with offices across the country. No fees to apply, and they cover your DBS checks: nationalfosteringgroup.co.uk - **Coram** — a leading children's charity offering fostering services and support across the UK: coram.org.uk **Did you know?** Every twenty minutes, a child in the UK is placed in the care system. The need for foster carers has never been greater. You must be at least 21 years old, and you can be single, married, in a civil partnership, or living with a partner. There is very little that rules someone out — what matters most is the desire to make a difference. Ukcareersfair Flourish *If this episode moved you, please share it. There are children out there who need more families like Gillian's. And there are people out there who could be that family — they just haven't found out yet.* *As always, thank you for being part of this village. 💛* **💛 Raising with the Village** This podcast is about real parents sharing real stories — because no one should feel alone in parenthood.  New episodes every Thursday! 🌐 Website: https://raisingwith.co.uk/ 📸 Instagram: @raisingwiththevillage 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and all major platforms. If you’d like to share your own story — about birth, parenting, or family life — get in touch via the website or Instagram DMs.