“It’s not just a job to me, this is my family.”
Foster carers receive a wage for their role providing safe and loving homes for children. But that’s not why they should do it – it’s so much more than that according to Vicki Dunbavin.
Vicki is a 54-year-old foster carer from Bebington who fosters with her husband John – with whom she has two adult children, Aimee (31) and Lewis (27). She worked in the domiciliary care sector, working her way up from being a carer to management and eventually owning her own company. But after 30+ years, she wanted a change.
Vicki said:
I thought, we’ve got a spare room – I’m going to give a child a chance.
Vicki had some experience of fostering around 30 years ago, when she fostered her nephew.
Vicki said:
My daughter Aimee was 10-months-old and I got a call saying that my nephew was going into care. We took him in instead and fostered him for more than 10 years. That ended in 2006. It wasn’t until 2023 that I started back up as a foster carer.
Vicki and John are currently fostering two brothers who are soon to be aged 9 and 10. They’ve been with them for more than two years. Siblings can sometimes be separated when they go into care, but Vicki agrees that keeping them together is important.
Vicki said: “We know we want to keep siblings together – as they can support each other through tough or challenging times. Going into care can be hard enough as it is.
“Plus, because we’re older foster carers we thought if we take on one child, they might get bored! We thought if we could take siblings they’d have company too.”
There were challenges, but they got through them. Vicki said: “When the boys came to us things were difficult – the eldest played parent to the other, as he’d had to look after his younger brother when his parents couldn’t.
Now we see the boys transformed, from that stability, and nurturing. It’s about making a commitment and reliability to a child and giving them structure. Giving the eldest the opportunity to be a child again – was so healing. And I’m so hopeful for them and their future.
Together, they all go on holidays. The brothers go to cubs, swimming lessons, football training and more.
Vicki said:
We’ve been to Disney on Ice, Monster trucks – you name it. At Christmas we got them a balloon with an aeroplane on it and told them we were going on a surprise holiday in three days – to Gran Canaria!
As well as supporting the children, fostering has had a positive impact on Vicki’s life too.
Vicki said:
All my friends say I’m mad, I should be winding down at this time in my life, taking time for myself… but if you do something you love, it doesn’t feel like a job. It keeps me young.
Vicki’s daughter Aimee is looking to follow in her parents’ footsteps and become a foster carer. But, she says, more need to do the same.
Vicki said:
I don’t foster as a job, this is my family.
It’s about giving a child a chance in this world we live in, there’s so many children coming into foster care through no fault of their own. There are children out there who need this support and if you can give it. It’s a no-brainer.
I will foster as long as I can. The boys are here until they’re at least 18. If I had a bigger house, I’d take more.
Vicki jokes:
Unfortunately my husband’s here to stay so we don’t have the extra room!
Wirral Council is part of Foster4, a collaborative fostering recruitment hub in the Northwest.
The friendly Foster4 team are popping up in several locations across Wirral this month. Everyone is welcome to come along, say hello and find out more about becoming a foster carer with Wirral Council.
- 15 May - 10.30-12pm - Leasowe Leisure Centre
- 15 May - 1-2.30pm - St Catherine’s Medical centre
- 20 May - 9.30-11am - The Coffee House Liscard
- 20 May - 1-4pm - Wirral Change (Birkenhead)
- 28 May - 10-11.30am - Tesco Heswall
- 28 May - 12.30-2pm - Asda Liscard
- 28 May - 3-4.30pm - Guinea Gap Leisure Centre
If you’d like to find out more about fostering, visit the Foster4 website.
