Mayo mum-of-four Sephine Morris on why family and fostering go hand in hand

PROVIDING a loving, secure home for foster children who may not have experienced such a thing in their own lives is something to be admired, but it’s not possible without a strong network of people who understand intimately what is required to make that happen.

Mayo-based Sephine Morris would know all about that. Sephine is a Tusla Peer Support Worker, one of six around the country helping new and inexperienced foster carers in their fostering journeys.

“This is a dream job for me. Even before I came into this role I tried to be solution focused to improve fostering in Ireland along with other foster carers. I now run two monthly peer support groups where, over a cup of tea and a chat, I can talk foster carers through any apprehensions they have,” says Sephine to mark Tusla National Fostering Awareness Month this June.

“It’s very informal, confidential, and enables people to feel free to discuss things with others who are having similar issues. I also visit new and inexperienced foster carers in the comfort of their own homes to discuss supports available and to encourage them to have the relevant conversations with their fostering link social worker.”

Sephine’s own experience as a foster carer for eight years makes her the ideal person to guide fellow carers through any concerns they may have. She has provided respite and short-term care and is a long-term foster carer to three siblings - all while raising four sons of her own, aged 21, 22, 23, and 33.

She says that it is only by working collaboratively with parents, social workers, and foster carers as the key pillars in a child’s life, that progress can happen.

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Fostering journey

SEPHINE (51), who lives between Castlebar and Westport, in Co Mayo, began her own fostering journey as part of a couple, but is now a single carer and Tusla – the national agency for foster care – supported her through this process.

“The children came to us initially as an emergency placement for two weeks, but over time we were matched to care for them long term.”

To make this possible, adjustments had to be made to the family home, which led to the play den being converted to bedrooms, causing some angst in the beginning for the boys.

There were some behavioural challenges with the children too, but the family has since weathered that experience, thanks to support from Tusla, with one son revealing that, despite those early issues, he has no regrets having foster children as part of his family and says it makes him appreciate life more.

Sephine says that her own family have played a vital role in helping make the three girls feel supported.

“My sister is amazing; she’s like a surrogate aunty, and my mum calls them her grandchildren, and they in turn call her granny.

“Compared to the earlier days it is a privilege to see the girls thrive as part of a family and wider local community. There have been rolling challenges due to early childhood experiences, but to see the children strive to reach their potential is lovely. The two older children were just awarded for the best joint highest attendance in their secondary school. They are very much part of our local community and are part of many clubs.

“Every day you’re trying to instil positives into their lives; you do what you can while they are in your care.”

Tusla also helps in that process by making a wide variety of support training available to foster carers.

“I’ve done practically every course on offer; no matter what the course, you’ll take something positive from it and from the fellow foster carers who attend,” says Sephine, who also gets respite support once a month, allowing her to take a break and enjoy some time to herself.

June is National Fostering Awareness Month, organised and run by Tusla, and Tusla is seeking foster carers from all walks of life across Ireland to help ensure young people can stay connected to their communities. A local placement will ensure a young person can maintain important connections with their friends, sports, school, and community, and reach their full potential.

Tusla’s National Lead for Fostering, Jacqui Smyth, says the Child and Family Agency welcomes applicants and enquiries from all backgrounds to provide foster care, which comes in a variety of forms, from short-term respite care to relative care and long-term.

Diverse and unique

“It is really important that the pool of available foster carers is as diverse and unique as possible because the needs of every child differ. Right now, in every part of Ireland there is a need for foster carers. Children come into care from every socio-economic group, across religions and cultures, across rural and urban communities throughout our country. Every child deserves the chance to live in a home within their own community.

“In Tulsa, our focus is to support foster carers and encourage people to consider becoming a carer for a child who is unable to remain at home. We do this through a spectrum of support for fostering families. We collaborate closely with stakeholders and colleagues to innovate and advocate for children and families in the foster care system.”

For Sephine Morris, foster care has opened up new ways to look at life, for the children she cares for, as well as for her sons.

“Fostering takes and gives in its own way; it brings with it a wealth of understanding, and enriches everyone,” says Sephine. “It has built empathy in the boys’ lives, and they are more open to helping out. They have matured, and the second eldest is now coaching an U-15s football team and has persuaded the girls to attend the training there too.

“The children of foster families are the unsung heroes of fostering; without their support foster carers couldn’t do it.”

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For more information visit fostering.ie