Our Carers: Marlene and Glenn

Hi, my name is Marlene and my husband is Glenn. Glenn is a chef and I’m a full-time carer.

In my previous life, I was a Management Consultant within the NI Civil Service and Criminal Justice System.

I am 45 and Glenn is 43.

We decided to foster in 2015 after we saw a Kindercare advertisement in a local paper.

As we had plenty of room, time and love, we thought, “Why not?”

After the initial call and first meeting, we were excited and definitely up for the challenge!  We had the opportunity to ask lots of questions during these initial meetings, and we were given lots of really useful and relevant information.

We really enjoyed the “Skills to Foster” course, but to be honest, aspects were a little daunting!

We pressed on, excellently supported by Hannah, Niall and all of the Kindercare Team.

We had our health and safety check and the house was fine, and up to scratch, but were we?!

Thankfully panel thought so, and on 30 March 2016, we were approved as Foster Carers! We were so excited and nervous!

I had left my job in January 2016 and was more than ready for some new challenges.

After various telephone calls about potential placements, we were told about two little girls, siblings of 5 and 7.

Hurriedly, we bought and assembled bunk beds and duvets, towels etc etc. basically we filled the car with Peppa Pig and Minions and crossed our fingers!

They arrived on 12 April and our hearts almost stopped when we saw these two little people, so strong, resilient and brave.

We went to the park and got pizza.

Eventually, that night, they went to their new beds….for five minutes before the  requests for more stories, water, company, questions began.  The average hostage-taker has less demands than our lovely girls did that first night!

Together, we all set off to school the next morning (armed with google maps), and when we dropped them off and met teachers etc, we flipped into the car and just looked at each other- what had just happened?!

Two years later, we are lucky to still have these girls in our lives, our home and our hearts.

We have been on two holidays; one foreign, one domestic and both a success!!!

There have been ups and downs; of course there have. But ultimately, we are, luckily, surrounded by a great Kindercare team, from our emergency carers to both social workers and contact workers.

Would we do it again?  Absolutely!

But we also know the first part can be tough and scary, so I am more than happy to share my experiences and talk to any new or prospective carers.  Lift the phone or contact Kindercare online – you won’t look back!!!

Marlene ❤ Glenn