“It’s just a wonderful thing to be able to help another child”
Leitrim woman Geri Kells reflects on how fostering has not only changed the lives of the dozens of children she and her husband David have supported but has enhanced their own lives too.
Geri and David Kells’s six-bed bungalow, set in the gently rolling farmland of Killydrum townland, outside Newtown Gore, in Co Leitrim, looks like the perfect setting for a nice, peaceful day in the countryside.
But with four children, nine grandchildren, and an in-demand childcare business operating out of the family home, “peaceful” may not be the word you’d associate with this home; especially when you consider that the Kells have also opened their door and their hearts to 23 foster children down the years.
But Geri does find some quiet time by cycling past the hedgerows every morning before the hustle and bustle of daily life begins.
“I get on my bike every morning at 6.15am and cycle for forty-five minutes, then go home and have breakfast. David helps with milking at his brother’s farm nearby, then he’s back at 9am to help get the children to school and to pre-school. David is retired but you’d never know it – he’s working harder than ever; he’s a legend.”
The couple began their fostering journey 25 years ago when they took in a pre-adoptive infant.
“She was beautiful… premature, and tiny,” says Geri. “We fostered her for six months and then she went to her adoptive parents. But we’ve stayed in touch… we were at her Communion, and her Confirmation, and she’s now in college.
“I’ve always been interested in fostering; it’s something I always want to do… and David has supported me in that down the years.”
For Geri and David, the children who come into their home might stay for a couple of days or for more than a decade, depending on the circumstances.
“You could have a child for a night, or two weeks, or you might get three at a time. Sometimes you have to say no, due to the age of the child or for some other reason.”
Whatever the duration, long-term or short, Geri and David have built bonds that have lasted a lifetime with some of the youngsters who lived under their roof.
“We had two boys for ten years, and we’re still in touch. One girl who came to us for twelve months, when she was seventeen, she’ll soon be forty. We’re still in touch with her too.”
They have also built strong connections with some parents of the children they support: “We have contact with some of the parents. I remember there was one mum – several years ago – who we’d take out for a meal every Sunday,” says Geri.
Right now, the couple are providing respite care to a 17-year-old boy and are also fostering a 12-year-old girl. When asked for how long the girl will be with them, Geri’s answer speaks volumes…
“We hope to have her until she gets married,” is how she puts it.
Both Geri and David's daughters, Val and Stacey, and eldest granddaughter Shéalan, live locally and as the saying goes 'it takes a village to rear a family' are available to them, if, or when they need support.
Tusla has helped the couple down the years, and there are no complaints from Geri on that score. “They’ve been absolutely first class,” she says.
Tusla Fostering – Ireland’s fostering agency – is seeking foster carers just like Geri and David, from all walks of life across Ireland to help ensure young people can stay connected to their communities. Living with a local family will ensure a young person in care can maintain important connections with their friends, sports, school, and community, and reach their full potential.
There are many misconceptions around who is, or isn’t, eligible to foster. Tusla Fostering currently works with foster carers from all walks of life. e.g. those who are in a same-sex relationship, are Travellers, are of African or Eastern European origin, are Muslim, have a disability, who don’t have a job currently, who rent, who are single, who are over 40, and with parents who both work.
Tusla’s National Lead for Fostering, Jacqui Smyth, says Tusla Fostering welcomes applicants and enquiries from all backgrounds to provide foster care, which comes in a variety of forms, from short-term respite care to relative care and long-term.
“It is really important that the pool of available foster carers is as diverse and unique as possible because the needs of every child differ. Right now, in every part of Ireland there is a need for foster carers. Children come into care from every socio-economic group, across religions and cultures, across rural and urban communities throughout our country. Every child deserves the chance to live in a home within their own community.
“In Tusla Fostering, our focus is to support foster carers and encourage people to consider becoming a carer for a child who is unable to remain at home. We do this through a spectrum of support for fostering families. We collaborate closely with stakeholders and colleagues to innovate and advocate for children and families in the foster care system.”
For anyone considering fostering, Geri has one simple message: “Go ahead, check it out! There’s nobody going to force you to do it. It’s just a wonderful thing to be able to help another child.”
To learn more about being a foster carer with Tusla, visit our website, call Freefone 1800 226 771 or email tusla.fostering@tusla.ie