The Burton-on-Trent, England natives William and Jean Foster, who have been married for 32 years, have given up raising both biological and adopted children. The couple wed in 1982, and in 1988 they established a sort of family orphanage in their home where children and teenagers might stay while waiting to be legally adopted or adopted.
The children came to the Fosters’ house through the British government’s juvenile agency or through social services. Similar procedures are frequently used in the UK, where a family may sign up for a specific program, like William and Jeanne did, if it has room to admit infants.
As a result, over three decades, 186 children passed through the Foster house. William and Jean were compensated by the state for their assistance in the upbringing and upkeep of the “guests,” but they were not granted full parental rights; the future of each child was decided by the court. The parents still thought of everyone they aided as “their own,” regardless of how long the children lived with them—weeks, months, or years.
Nearly all of the kids we helped raise are in contact with us. Most of them were formally adopted after us, and each time we saw how easily and joyfully they assimilated into the new family.
According to William and Jean, they quickly grew used to everyone of their students. Both infants and older kids were favorites for them to play with. It was crucial for the pair to instill in the youngsters who had been abandoned by their families the notion that there are people out there who will accept them for who they are.
The Fosters experienced their most challenging times when the kids left the home. William made light of it in an interview with journalists.
This is not just an emotionally challenging time. We get used to making a lot of food and keep doing it even when the kids are grown. Then, faced with a glut of dishes, we are at a loss for what to do.
Additionally, some kids remained in the household for life. After nearly five years of Naomi’s residence with William and Jean, they made the decision to keep her. She now proudly takes her kids to see her brave grandparents.
They make great parents because they are kind, witty, and loving. Every child enjoys having a pet, thus there were numerous animals in the home. There were kids all the time around me, and we played and grew up together. We all need foster parents in our lives, and these two have been outstanding from the beginning. I normally visit my family around the holidays, but this year the house is shaking because of Christmas.
As they wait for dozens of families to arrive at the holiday table, the Fosters claim that Christmas is definitely the busiest time of the year. William and Jean even had to devise a plan in order to have enough time to host everyone and prevent their home from being too overcrowded.
Even though Jean is 74 and William is already 82 years old, they are caring for two infants who are 10 and 15 months old. The Fosters won’t stop at 186 students since they are sure that raising children just makes their life longer.