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A Northern Ireland husband and wife have revealed how opening up their hearts and home to kids as foster carers has been an honour. Lynda and William Stenhouse became Kinship foster carers three years ago, with the support from the South Eastern Trust’s Fostering Service. Kinship foster care is when a child is cared for by a relative, friend or person they have a pre-existing connection with, who has been officially approved by the Trust as a foster carer. Lynda and William's life took a new direction after their own children , aged 30 and 26, had flown the nest and they found themselves “rattling about on our own”. “We had thought about fostering for a long time and put ourselves forward to be respite foster carer s initially. We wanted to give a child a happy home, to offer them security. Things then changed and we became kinship foster carers, something that we are just so thankful for.” said Lynda. Lynda and William welcomed three girls, now aged 13, 10 and three to their home in 2022, a family dynamic that is filled with love, laughter and unshakable bonds. William says he and Lynda were supported by the Trust in their journey to becoming kinship foster carers: “We cannot thank the team enough in helping, explaining and supporting us. The team were with us right from the start. “We are so proud of the girls, to see their transformation and how comfortable they are. We have been given a chance to create a family environment and to help mould the girls into becoming young adults and hopefully break a cycle that they were going through before they came to us.” To anyone who may be thinking of becoming a foster carer, Lynda says her own decision has been so rewarding: “We get to put the children to bed at night, we get to bring them to school in the morning. Your heart is bursting knowing that you have been able to do that for another child. “It means the world to William and I, to have been given the opportunity and to have been allowed to do this for the girls in giving our love and giving our hearts to someone else. We feel so honoured that we have been allowed to do this for the girls.” South Eastern Trust Principal Social Worker, Bridie Rainey added: “It is truly inspiring to hear about the love, stability and dedication of Lynda and William over these past three years. They have embraced their fostering role with commitment and compassion and created a home filled with warmth, security and belonging. Their efforts have and will continue to make a lasting difference in the children’s lives.” If you are interested in becoming a South Eastern Trust Foster Carer or finding out more, please contact the South Eastern Foster Care Team on (0800) 0720 137. For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our Be lifestyle newsletter for all the latest showbiz, fashion, beauty, family features and more.
