About Lyndsay and Daniel

Married couple Lyndsay and Daniel, aged 47 and 45 respectively, have been fostering for the last six years. The couple were inspired to foster by Lyndsay’s late father who was also a foster carer and felt that the time was right now their own grown-up children have left the family home.

Daniel works as a grocery delivery driver and training assistant for an online supermarket and Lyndsay, who is the main carer, was a senior health carer before starting her career in fostering.

They currently foster Kelly*, an 11-year-old girl who has been living with them for the past five years.

Becoming foster carers

Both Lyndsay and Daniel believe their other professional roles helped their transition into fostering. Lyndsay has always been attracted to roles that allow her to lean into her caring nature.

Daniel is also thankful for his experience of teaching lots of different people from all walks of life as it’s helped him to welcome children of all backgrounds into his home. He said: “I’ve helped to train people of all ages, different genders and different races as well. Any child of any background could walk through my door, so it definitely helps with that.”

The challenges and rewards of fostering

The couple wanted to say that fostering isn’t the “walk in the park that some people think it is” and that it can be one of the most challenging things a family can do, especially if a foster child has trauma or behavioural issues.

Daniel said: “We try and take things in our stride – a day at a time. We try and prepare for the worst, and if it doesn’t happen then it’s a bonus, but if it does, we deal with it.”

Lyndsay and Daniel have had some tough times with their fostering but said that some of their toughest have been the most rewarding. When recalling how distant and anxious Kelly* was when she first arrived, Daniel said: “She came to us with no confidence and now she’s in a cheerleading club and just played the lead of Juliet in her primary school’s production of Romeo and Juliet. She’s been up on stage singing in front of crowds and has come right out of her comfort zone – she’s full of confidence now and it’s been fantastic!”

The couple also shared the story of a former foster child who left their home when she was ready to live independently. When the young woman fell pregnant, she started messaging Lyndsay for advice. Despite being in her life for just nine months, the couple felt they had really connected with her and were touched that she felt as though she could trust them after such a short time.

The importance of support networks

Daniel and Lyndsay thanked their support network for helping them find success in fostering. Daniel would often speak to his in-laws (Lyndsay’s parents) for advice, and they were always happy to share their 20 years’ experience. Their own children have also been incredibly supportive, to the point where their eldest child acts as their respite carer. 

The pair also extended a huge thank you to The Fostering Team and said that they have benefited greatly from the support they’ve received from the agency, from training and resources to a welcoming environment.

Daniel explained: “The kids always get something for holidays like Christmas and Easter but more importantly someone is always there for you. Even the senior leadership team there is friendly, you can chat to anyone there about anything. It’s a relaxed family environment.” 

Lyndsay added: “And when you need to be serious, it’s serious. They support us through whatever it is we’re going through at the time but I do like that they understand that you can’t be too serious all the time because otherwise you’ll be too stiff and you’ll break. You have to be a bit flexible and you can go in there and you can laugh and joke with them about life.”

*Children’s names have been changed to protect their identity, this is a legal requirement