Celebrating 21 Years As Foster Carers, Dawn & Martin's Story

Dawn and Martin’s lives took a turn 21 years ago when they decided to become foster carers with Calon Cymru.

The couple from Bridgend had gained lots of relevant skills and experience throughout their personal and professional lives that equipped them to take on the role of foster carers.

They have five adult children between them and have also been guardians of Cantonese children who came to the UK from Hong Kong to go to school. Prior to fostering, Dawn had also been a childminder, so for the couple, becoming foster carers felt like a natural next step.

Their fostering career

Over the past 21 years, the couple have fostered over 30 vulnerable children and young people with varying ages and needs. However, they have a strong inclination towards providing care for children with autism.

They have found their calling in encouraging and supporting these children, using their skills and experience to create a safe and nurturing environment. Regardless of their needs, Dawn and Martin ensure that every child and young person who walks through their door is provided with love, care, and respect. When speaking about fostering children with autism, Dawn said:

“Fostering children who have autism can be very frustrating if you go into it with expectations. You need a lot of time and patience and understanding. You soon realise that they do not need to conform to typical standards and you change the way you care to meet their specific needs...

You often have to stand up to the world for these children and young people as they don’t know how to do it for themselves. It's very difficult for children without autism to go into a new foster placement, but a lot of the time children with autism cannot verbalise how they are feeling, and they need support and understanding.

The autism spectrum is so wide that no two children are ever the same and they each have their own little ways of seeing the world in a different way to us, they need us to recognise that they have different strengths and we need to help to promote and nurture those strengths. They need to live in an environment where their differences are celebrated, and they feel included in society. We learn something new from these children everyday, which is enriching our lives too. By creating a supportive and nurturing environment we can help them thrive and reach their potential...

One rule I tend to stick to is if a child hugs you then they really need it, and I am never the first to break that hug! Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen very often with children with ASD!”

Alongside excelling in their roles as foster carers, Dawn and Martin are currently undertaking a huge project in France. They are in the process of renovating a long barn, to transform it into a comfortable, disabilities-friendly living space. The renovated barn is designed to welcome and accommodate families of all sizes and ages. The project is hugely important to them and aligns perfectly with their passion to make a difference in the lives of others.

On reaching their significant fostering milestone, Dawn and Martin recalled countless memories with smiles on their faces.

They are excellent foster carers, and their dedication and passion for caring for children and young people is evident in the exceptional care they provide. We are forever grateful for their loyalty and commitment to Calon Cymru and vulnerable children and young people across South Wales. Here’s to the next 21 years!