At the age of four, the foster child was reported to Childline because he was begging on the streets. The Child Welfare Committee reviewed his case and were unable to find his biological parents. He was placed in a Child Care Institution for three months before being matched with his foster family.

The child’s foster mother (age 52) and father (age 54) learned of foster care from a previous member of the Child Welfare Committee in their district. The member educated the couple on what foster care is, then gave them the information for Foster Care Society. They were supported by FCS throughout the application process and were very happy to be declared a fit family for foster care.

At the time of the initial placement there was a language barrier between the foster child and his parents. He spoke a local dialect which differed from his parent’s. He quickly embraced learning the Hindi that his foster parents speak and is now learning English too.

Being a foster parent comes with challenges at times. In this case, the background of the child having lived on the streets meant that he had behavioral problems and the family is constantly working with him to improve. He struggles to obey his foster parents when they discipline him. It has taken a lot of work and communication with the child for the foster parents to earn his trust. Additionally, since the foster parents do not have biological children, they quickly realized that their parenting styles differ from one another. The foster mother likes to have a structured and disciplined routine for the boy, while the foster father enjoys giving the boy all of the things that he wants. They continue to grow as a couple and learn compromise with one another since becoming foster parents.

The foster child has been with the family for two years now, and his foster parents have loved providing him with new experiences in a home with a loving family. When he was first living with them, he hadn’t tried a variety of food and was uninterested in eating. Now, he always has an appetite and enjoys eating.  The foster mother said that she always feels cared for by the child. He can tell when she is frustrated or upset and he likes to comfort her. When asked about his experience, the child said he wants to live in his foster home because his parents provide him with good food, education, and they care about him.

The foster child is extremely intelligent and active.  He enjoys learning new things and studying. He really likes spending time on the computer and is learning typing skills right now. Because of hyperactivity, he has a hard time in a traditional school setting. He recently started attending a new school with a “learning through playing approach” and he has been successful there. His foster parents are happy he is not afraid of school or letting his past interfere with his learning. The foster child says school is a good place and he often gets to learn by dancing and singing.  His foster mother would love to see him as a doctor, lawyer, or city official, using his high intelligence for the good of others and in a service profession.