An 11-year-old girl from Leicestershire has created a heart-warming teddy bear tradition to help her stay connected with the foster children who have become part of her family.
Millie, whose parents foster with Leicestershire County Council, came up with the idea to make saying goodbye a little easier when children move on to the next stage of their journey.
She’s sharing her story to remind families not to rule themselves out of fostering if they have birth children living at home.
At first, it felt a little bit different having foster children come and live with us, but now I love it when they come.”
I treat them just like I would my own brother or sister. I play with them, share my toys and make sure they are included in everything we do as a family, so they feel like they belong.
I decided to get two teddies. I cuddle one teddy and the baby has the same teddy to cuddle while they are with us.
On the day they leave, we swap teddies. This means that my teddy has all the baby’s cuddles on it, and the teddy they take with them has all my cuddles on it. I know then that they will always remember me, and I hope my teddy makes them smile.
Person:Millie
Over the years, Millie has shared important milestones with her foster siblings, including celebrating first birthdays, and helping younger children learn to crawl, walk and talk.
Since her parents were approved to foster in 2022, Millie has helped them welcome five children into their lives, and learnt an important lesson: “Fostering has made me realise how lucky I am to be at home with my mummy and daddy.
“There are lots of children who can’t live with their own families and need foster carers to look after them. Sometimes that makes me feel sad for them, but it also makes me happy that our family can help.
“I’m really proud that fostering is something our whole family does together, and I love to tell everyone.”
As part of its wider support offering, the county council provides specialist services for the children of foster carers, recognising the important role they play in fostering, and helping them navigate change and maintain their wellbeing.
Councillor Charles Pugsley, lead member for children and families at Leicestershire County Council, said: “Millie’s contribution to her family’s fostering efforts cannot be overstated. Like so many other foster carers’ birth children, she plays an immensely important role in helping our children in care feel safe and welcomed at what can often be a complex time.
“I sincerely thank all of our foster carers and their families for the difference they make in our children’s lives.
“We’re always interested in hearing from applicants with different family make-ups, and I would encourage any individuals or families interested in fostering to get in touch with our team to find out more.”
Find out about fostering by emailing fostering@leics.gov.uk or calling 0116 305 0505.