A FOSTER carer from Audenshaw has built his own fostering family after looking after more than 70 teenage boys over 35 years.
Dave Atkins is telling his inspirational story as part of national Foster Care Fortnight.
The 77-year-old worked full-time running his own joinery business up until two years ago, whilst fostering for Tameside Council full-time.
Fostering had never crossed Dave’s mind until he began supporting a young boy who worked a Saturday job at his DIY shop and had been fostered up until he was 16 years old. Later, he discovered the boy had been living in a derelict house over Christmas and offered him a full-time job to train him as a joiner.
After working together for a while, Dave and the young boy heard a fostering advert, which triggered the boy to question Dave about why he’d never considered it.
“This made me think about it because the lad said ‘where would I be without you?’ I was worried and said I can’t because I’m a single male, but I saw another advert after that and thought why not I’ll go for it, I’ve got nothing to lose.
“It was the best decision I’d ever made in my life, and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve had some fantastic characters. Even those that have been a bit troublesome, they all have good points and we all keep in touch.
“The time I’ve done it, over 30 years, it’s flown by so fast and I thought when it goes by so fast, it shows you really enjoy the job.
“You get one or two problems but that’s part of life, you get challenges in everything you do, it would be boring if you didn’t have a challenge? Once you’ve solved the problem, it helps you bond too.”
Dave currently doesn’t have any fostering placements as he’s supporting one young person who is 18+ on a Staying Put arrangement, providing advice and guidance rather than foster care.
Staying Put is for young people who have been fostered and at the age of 18 remain with the foster carers up to the age of 21 years.
Dave is also supporting two males who he has previously fostered and needed additional support later in life, who he mentioned had gone on holiday together.
Dave chose to foster teenage boys as he wanted to continue to run his business full-time, so this arrangement suited his lifestyle, schedule, and environment.
Even though Dave started his fostering journey as a single male with no biological children of his own he is now known as, ‘dad’, ‘uncle’, ‘godparent’ and ‘grandad’.
Dave rounded off his fostering journey story by saying: “There’s something every day that makes me proud of what they’ve done, and the greatest thing is seeing them smiling.”
Foster Care Fortnight, which runs until May 25, raises awareness of the impact of foster care and inspires others to consider fostering, whilst taking the time to thank and acknowledge the passion and dedication of local foster carers.
Tameside Council is in need of more foster carers to provide stable, loving homes for local children and young people in care.
“I’d firstly like to start off by expressing how thankful I am to Dave for telling his own personal fostering journey in order to inspire others to be the difference to the lives of local children and young people,” said Councillor Teresa Smith, Executive Member for Children’s and Families.
“Dave has clearly done such a wonderful job of supporting the teenagers he’s cared for as the relationships he’s built over the years are so powerful that they’re bonded for life.
“Dave’s story also goes to show how you don’t need to change your lifestyle or schedule to foster – it can be flexible, so if you’ve got a burning question why not call up or drop an email and ask?”
Applicants for fostering must be 21 years or older, have a spare room and can offer a safe and loving home.
Fostering can be flexible with various opportunities to suit different schedules and lifestyles – including short-term, long-term, specialist, emergency and respite fostering.
Anyone who has been inspired to enquire by Dave’s story can call 0300 303 0321, email enquire@fosterforgm.com or visit www.fosterforgm.com/tameside