A huge congratulations to Jon and Ellen Evans for winning the Foster Carer Award, and to Sandra Cornwall for receiving the highly commended award at the National Children and Young People Awards!

Get to know our winners:

The Foster Carer Award Winner: Ellen and Jon Evans

When we found out we had been nominated for the National Children and Young People awards, initially it was shock as although we have been on this medically complex and emotional journey, to us this is our family life. However, we both felt a sense of pride for having the acknowledgment of what we do.

On our first date, we actually discussed wanting to become foster carers one day in the future! Life continued, we had a daughter, got married and worked in our chosen fields. However, the seed we had planted on that first date many years ago grew, and we decided it was the right time to look into fostering.

For myself, I had worked with a birth family where the child was removed due to significant neglect and physical harm. I went to visit this child in a foster home and the difference in him was outstanding. In the short period of time, he looked so healthy and has started to catch up on some of his delayed milestones, but most of all, to see the emotional attachment he was able to form and the love and care he was given was inspirational, and at this point I knew in my heart, I could do this.

For us, the most rewarding part of our journey has been watching J develop despite everything he has been through. He has the most beautiful soul, his smile lights up the room and recently seeing his emotional development makes us so proud.

J has had periods of being gravely unwell, during covid he had a significant bleed on his brain post operatively. During this time, he was placed on a ventilator, and we were told that they were unsure if he had the ability to breath on his own due to the brain damage. The moment we will never forget is when that ventilator was removed, he overcame the odds and was able to breath. We will never forget that feeling of overwhelming emotion that he has survived, I can not express in words how that moment felt.

Having only cared for one child over the last seven years, we can only express how he has changed us.

J is a little boy who has undergone so much, prior to the significant brain injury he had already undergone five brain surgeries and open heart surgery. Despite his life changing injuries  such as going blind, needing a permanent feeding tube, being unable to move unaided, we have never know a child who is so happy, his smile is infectious and recently he has really started to belly laugh, he has taught us the purity of joy in life.

To us being a foster carer has meant opening up our hearts. This is where it starts, you must genuinely care for a child, provide stability, love and commitment. It means not doing something half heartedly, you need to be committed. Throughout our journey with J, we have experienced extreme highs and lows with regards to his health. The motivation is simple, it comes from him. Knowing his needs come first. It can be emotionally hard facing things, for example, recently we have been part of the advanced care plan which also looks at end of life care. Emotionally, this is something we did not want to face, however our motivation to be part of this came from him. The fear of losing him it’s great however the need to ensure he always feels safe, never alone and loved has to come before our own emotional need. The motivation comes from him and the life we share for him.

Recognition of our journey is amazing. In one respect it feels strange as this is our life daily caring for J needs physically, emotionally and medically. Living and caring for a medically complex child has become our norm so having this recognition does make us acknowledge this achievement.

To me being a foster carer has provided me with the opportunity to care for the most amazing little boy. It has provided me with many learning opportunities. I have learnt more about myself and my abilities to advocate and that I have more resilience that I thought possible.

Highly Commendable Winner: Sandra Cornwall

My journey to become a foster carer started 22 years ago when I had a supervision session with my manager, and during that supervision, she suggested to me that she thought I would be good as a foster carer, because I was always supportive of others, and at the time she had never known a single parent to get 3 kids under the age of 7 in bed by 7.30pm!

The most rewarding part of my fostering journey has been seeing the young people and young mothers leave my home with their babies and go on to thrive in the community.

Being a Foster Carer personally means to me being open to show young people that there are good people in the world who can make a difference to their life, to believe in them, encourage them to thrive and be happy. Having a supportive supervising social worker and family has been my motivation to keep going through the challenges.

To me, being a Foster Carer has been the most amazing journey I have been on throughout my life, and I can’t see this journey finishing any time soon. I have too much love to give.