Supporting the heart: how foster families give children warmth and hope

A foster family is not just a shelter for children who have fallen into difficult life circumstances. It is a heart that beats in the rhythm of care, love and boundless devotion to children who need support the most. One of such families is the family of Yulia Tarasenko from the Kyiv region. Her story of creating a foster family is an example of tireless work, great love and unwavering desire to help children find their way in life.
Yuliya Tarasenko is a foster teacher from the Kyiv region, who shared with the program “No to orphanhood!” with its history of creating a foster family and the specifics of work. Yulia Tarasenko’s foster family is the first such family in the city of Obukhiv. A woman provides guardianship services for a child together with her husband Vitaly, a mandatory assistant. The couple has three children of their own, two of whom are still minors and live with them. In 2014, the family was forced to leave their home in Luhansk and start a new life.
For more than 5 years, this foster family has provided shelter to children while their parents overcome difficult life circumstances. During this time, they had 15 children under their patronage.
“Five children who were under our patronage were adopted by good families, where love and care for children are a priority. Nine children returned to their biological families. One child who had a disability was placed in a rehabilitation center.” Yuliya Tarasenko reported.
As the educator noted, during the stay of the children under patronage, the disciplinary team, which consists of experienced specialists, helps the biological parents to overcome the crisis in the family at this time. Each case is considered individually, depending on the needs of that family.
“Our foster family creates a safe environment for children in which they can comfortably learn and develop while their parents overcome difficult life circumstances.” Yuliya Tarasenko noted.
The woman also talked about the advantages of working as a foster carer, what steps need to be taken to create a foster family, and explained her main functions. Among the main advantages, the teacher singled out the opportunity to help children in a difficult period of their lives and receive a salary and work experience for this.
“A foster carer receives 3 minimum wages for his work, and his assistant – one minimum wage”, Yuliya Tarasenko noted.
In addition, she named the main functions of a foster carer, in particular: temporary care of a child; upbringing, rehabilitation and support of the child.
“The main function is to be close to the child and do everything that biological parents do. We do not distinguish children who are temporarily in our family from our biological children.” – says Yulia.
The foster carer emphasized that a child placed in a foster family needs to be given a lot of attention, spend leisure time with her and other family members. For this purpose, the couple set up a large trampoline in their yard, on which children jump all year round, and also installed a basketball ring, a swimming pool, a slide and a hammock. And Julia’s family likes to go fishing and go to the forest for mushrooms.
“Children always want entertainment. They like moving games, because they need to spend their energy somewhere. My husband and I love to play football with the children. We also have different age-specific toys for small children.” Yuliya Tarasenko said.
The woman advises candidates to become foster carers not to be afraid to try to create a foster family and manage the first case of placing a child. The foster teacher also considers cooperation with an interdisciplinary team that helps in the work to be an important point: you need to follow the advice of specialists, tell them about your worries and observations, not make any difficult decisions on your own, etc.
“Even sheltering one child is already a big help and a considerable contribution to solving a social problem.” Yuliya Tarasenko emphasized.
In her opinion, one of the most difficult moments that every foster carer goes through is attachment to children. It is especially difficult to part with small children, whom you care about with all your heart and soul.
“You must understand that we all face this. Do not forget that there will be many more families ahead, difficult children’s destinies, children who will count on your support and care. And only time and experience give us the strength to let children go with a light heart “, Yuliya Tarasenko noted.
The woman also advises fellow educators to contact specialists for psychological support due to burnout and fatigue. Yulia believes that it is not necessary to overcome one’s own crises, but it is better to communicate with colleagues and listen to the advice of psychologists.
“Yes, this service is associated with a large emotional, moral, psychological investment, but we also get a lot as a result of our activity: joy, self-realization, a sense of confidence, victories, achievement of goals.” Yuliya Tarasenko said proudly.
A foster carer can no longer imagine her life without this work, which brings not only income, but also great benefit to society. Therefore, the woman calls on all caring people who want to help children to become foster carers.
“Join our ranks! There is nothing better for a child than to grow up in a loving, caring family, and we are the link that leads children’s destinies to a happy family and a prosperous future. So go ahead!”, Yuliya Tarasenko urges.
To create a foster family, you need to contact the children’s service at your place of residence and submit the appropriate package of documents. After that, you need to go through free training together with your assistant and sign a guardianship agreement over the child.