#FacesofFostering-Anella aged 29, approved respite foster carer with Caritas Care

Anella is a foster carer with Caritas Care; she is 29 years of age and is approved to offer respite foster care for children with additional needs. Anella shares the’ self-imposed limitations’ she placed on herself to becoming a foster carer. Why did she think her age may be a barrier to fostering? And why her fear of not being taken seriously held her back, even though Anella had over ten years of experience in caring for children in residential care settings.

Her answers were found from social media; she came across a foster carer younger than herself and provided the inspiration Anella needed to think differently.

Thinking differently about becoming a foster carer is the crux for Anella. Once she accepted the ‘barrier to fostering’, Anella realised the ‘barrier’ was the positive difference in life skills she would bring to young people in care. Anella has a strong understanding of the barriers that young people now face, especially children leaving the care system. Anella’s world has embraced social media as the ‘norm’. Her generation is tech-savvy.

Consequently, she feels strongly that her skills give her an understanding of the barriers young people face and how she can support them. Anella is fiercely passionate about ‘identifying’ for children and young people. She personally understands the walls young people may face in identifying their sexuality and the taboo to be smashed regarding labels.

Once recognised for young people, LGBTQ+ and sexual identity barriers are vital to their personal development in life. Anella describes how ‘gender identity’ for her generation is an area that may be uncomfortable due to a lack of understanding for older foster carers. However, her generation can share that knowledge gap to support children and young people in recognising and guiding them in finding their own gender and sexuality identity.

Rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

Special thanks to Verve Recruitment for their support in helping us find more foster carer for more children.