The Foster Mother – performing an undervalued role in society

Unless one has been a foster parent or is close to someone who has, one may not realize the myriad of challenges associated with the role, and the importance of the foster care system to the well being of society.

A few weeks ago, the Family Services Division held a workshop for foster parents at which certain long serving foster parents, including Myrna Bramble, were honoured; and just last week, within our pages, we noted the passing of Germaine Rose, a woman who had fostered countless children over several decades.

There are approximately 185 children living in the Government assisted foster care system in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

To be approved as a foster parent here, individuals must have no history of spousal, child or drug abuse; the home environment must be conducive to the child’s development and foster guardians must have no criminal record.

The foster guardians must also have genuine love and concern for children.

In as small a society as St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), one can imagine the difficulty faced by the Family Services Division in finding suitable homes for the children who need to be placed. Experts say that the foster care system is important because family based substitute care is the most effective way of providing vulnerable young people with “a warm, safe, attentive, nurturing parenting experience.”

However, being a foster parent is usually a challenging experience which calls on the caregivers to dig deep within themselves to be able to meet the needs of these children.A fair number, if not the majority, of the children in foster care have experienced parental figures in the past, who may have been neglectful and/or abusive.

Their previous experiences of family life present the foster parent with complex challenges which are not for the faint-hearted.This is why on the eve of Mother’s Day, we salute the foster mothers and fathers of our country.

The service you provide to the children of our nation is invaluable and you perform a service that few others are able to. You, by your service are presenting to the children a model of what a loving, nurturing home should feel like.

You help to build that child’s self esteem, help him or her reach full potential and hopefully, help to stop the cycle of abuse and neglect.

Of course, not all foster children are dysfunctional and many prove to be such a blessing to their caregivers that they become permanent members of the home that was originally intended to be a temporary shelter.But not all foster parents come to the table with clean hands.

There is a minority who may have more interest in the monthly financial assistance of $275 than the child’s welfare. But we are confident that the Family Services Division is meticulous in its vetting process and ongoing surveillance to keep this number to a minimum.

Happy Mother’s Day to all who mother in our nation, but particularly those who positively welcome the “stranger” child into their family whilst validating the strengths of that young person. Thank you for your service.