26-05-2025
' I found a family that not only gave me a home but also believed in me'
A young woman who was fostered from the age of 15 said she was so lucky to have found a family that believed in.
Codie has spoken about how being fostered helped her to look to the future to raise awareness of the need for families to step forward and help people like her.
Bolton's independent fostering agency, Next Stage for Fostering, has highlighting two stories of two foster families, as well as Codie who has benefited from care to highlight the differences wanting to foster can make.
The individuals were inspired to begin fostering for different reasons, but what unites them all is the fact they changed the course of young children's lives by opening their homes.
The stories aim to inspire an interest from Boltonians, as more carers are urgently needed to provide children in care with a loving, stable home.
Codie (Image: Supplied) Codie entered foster care at the age of 15, when she was considered "lucky" to have found not just a loving home, but one she could share with her two younger siblings.
The stability this gave her allowed Codie to think ahead of her future and now at the age of 22, she is studying for a degree as she works towards a career in social care.
She said: "I know how lucky I am.
"So many teenagers struggle to find foster placements, but I found a family that not only gave me a home but also believed in me every step of the way.
"Without them, I would not be where I am today.
"They have made a real difference in my life, and I will always be grateful for that."
She was fostered by Alix and Lisa – a couple that have been fostering for some time and requested fostering siblings to avoid them being separated.
Alix and Lisa (Image: Supplied) Alix said: "Fostering is not just about offering a roof over someone's head – it is about giving them a family, a future and a sense of belonging."
Lisa said: "They have all now achieved massive milestones, including Codie learning to drive, going to university and getting a degree.
"It has been amazing to watch them thrive and support them all along their individual journeys."
Another family that started fostering is Kirsten and Dave.
Kirsten, Dave and the children (Image: Supplied) They did this alongside raising their own children, unsure of the impact it would have on their family.
Kirsten and Dave said: "At first, we were nervous about how it might affect our own children, but it has only brought us closer.
"They have learned patience, empathy and resilience.
"They have seen first-hand the difference a stable, loving home can make in a child's life, and they feel proud to be part of that change."
According to the Fostering Network, more than 6,500 foster families are urgently needed across England.
Next Stage for Fostering said: "Alix, Lisa, Kirsten and Dave prove that fostering is more than just providing children a home – it is about offering security, care and a sense of belonging."
