SWANSEA: ‘The first time they relaxed into a cuddle’ — foster carer shares the breakthrough moments that change young lives during Foster Care Fortnight

The first time a baby relaxes into a cuddle. The moment a withdrawn child begins to seek comfort. A routine that finally feels calm.

For foster carers in Swansea, these small moments can be the clearest sign of something much bigger — a child starting to feel safe.

Sarah Motley, who fosters babies and infants on a short-term basis with Foster Wales Swansea, has described what those breakthroughs mean in practice.

She recalled caring for a baby who arrived “very quiet and withdrawn” and said the first day was worrying because the child “didn’t cry or seek comfort, which felt unusual and quite worrying for a child that age.”

Over time, with a calm and consistent approach, she began to see small but important changes. “They slowly became more responsive and eventually began to seek comfort,” she said. “The first time they relaxed into a cuddle was incredibly special — it felt like the moment they realised they were safe and could trust.”

A national survey commissioned by Foster Wales found around 80% of foster carers have supported children displaying trauma-related behaviours such as anxiety, emotional shutdown or intense reactions. Half said they noticed a meaningful breakthrough within the first six months, while 93% said they are now confident in responding to trauma-related behaviour.

Sarah said fostering has deepened her understanding of why children come into care and challenged some of her previous assumptions, giving her “greater compassion for both children and their birth families.” She said the support available through Foster Wales Swansea — including a dedicated social worker, training, and a community of other fostering families — is essential.

“Fostering can be both rewarding and challenging, and knowing there is always someone to guide and reassure you makes a huge difference,” she said. “There is also a wide range of training available, both online and in person, which I really value.”

Foster Wales Swansea is keen to dispel some of the common myths that put people off — you don’t need to own your home, be in a relationship, or give up work to foster. More than 140 local families currently foster with the service, and no two are the same. There is no upper age limit, and anyone who is an adult with the right commitment and maturity can apply.

Foster carers in Swansea receive a weekly child allowance ranging from £246 to £298 depending on the age of the child, which covers the child’s food, clothing and other needs. A separate carer’s fee is also paid on top to recognise the time, skills and experience involved — fostering is not a conventional job but a round-the-clock skilled vocation.

Foster Care Fortnight — the UK’s largest annual campaign to raise awareness of fostering — runs throughout May, with this year’s theme, This is Fostering, shining a spotlight on the real experiences of carers and the vital role they play.

Julie Davies, Swansea Council’s Head of Child and Family Services, said the council was proud of its foster carers and urged anyone thinking about fostering to get in touch. “There are many highs and there are lows to fostering and Foster Wales Swansea is absolutely committed to supporting our amazing foster carers on this journey,” she said.

Sarah’s message to anyone considering the role is simple. “You don’t have to have everything figured out — just being open to that first conversation is a great step,” she said.

The Foster Wales Swansea team will be at the following locations during Foster Care Fortnight: Morrisons Morfa on Tuesday 12 May, 9am–4pm; Little Man Coffee (SA1) on Wednesday 13 May, 10am–12.30pm; Singleton Hospital on Thursday 14 May, 11am–3pm; Tesco Fforestfach on Tuesday 19 May, 10am–3pm; and Y Storfa Library on Wednesday 20 May, 10am–1pm.

Anyone interested can also find out more at swansea.fosterwales.gov.wales.

Neath Port Talbot couple who fostered more than 100 children champion social worker’s support

They are speaking out to challenge misconceptions about social workers and encourage others to become foster carers. 

Chris and Jane, from Neath Port Talbot, who are foster carers with Foster Wales, have fostered more than 100 children over 24 years. 

“It is a journey, when you see the child coming in and you work really hard with that child and when you see the outcome it’s so rewarding,” Jane said. 

Chris added: “A child’s life has been improved by coming to you, that’s the best part about being a foster carer.” 

Gerald Walker has been the couple’s social worker for the past six years but has been in the profession since 2010. In that time, he says he’s identified several common misconceptions he comes up against including social workers being viewed as “child snatchers” or wanting to break up families. 

The family are keen to counter negative stereotypes of social workers and their role in the fostering process, to encourage more people to come forward and consider becoming foster carers. 

“It can be a bit daunting if you’ve never worked with social workers before, but at the end of the day, when you meet someone like Gerald you realise the main priority is just looking after the children. He has been a consistent source of support, always at the end of the phone to give advice and he is loved by all our family.” 

Gerald said social work for him is about ensuring every family has 24/7 access to support and creating personal connections with both foster carers and children. 

“Seeing those children grow and reaching their potential, it is really touching and that is what social work is all about for me,” Gerald said.  

“I want to thank all foster carers. All foster carers have a loving heart. They can share that love, they can share that experience and sharing that with the community I think more people will come forward to be foster carers.” 

A new survey commissioned by Foster Wales found that nearly a third of foster carers said their view of social workers was formed by the media, with 27% of social workers believing potential carers fear being judged – and this is a barrier stopping people coming forward to be foster carers. 

One anonymous social worker said in their response to Foster Wales’ survey: “Some people still believe social workers are only there to remove children from families and that they are paid extra to do so.” 

This is at odds with the experience of Wales’ foster carers, with 90% of foster carer respondents said their social worker had either gone “above and beyond” in their role or helped them overcome a challenge during their fostering journey. 

With over 7,000 young people in care across Wales, the need for more foster carers is increasingly pressing. Foster Wales, the national network of 22 Welsh local authority fostering teams, launched a campaign to recruit an additional 800 foster families by 2026.  

Alastair Cope, Head of Foster Wales, said:

“The research we have conducted has been important in helping us better understand the barriers that are stopping people coming forward to become foster carers. Stories like Chris and Jane’s highlight the amazing relationships that have flourished across Wales’ fostering community, and the change it can make in young people’s lives.  

“Every day, foster carers across Wales use their skills, life-experience and knowledge to offer life-changing support to young people – but it’s important to recognise and highlight that as local authority foster carers, they can always rely on an experienced and extensive network of support around them. 

“So, we really do encourage people who are thinking about fostering to get in touch today.” 

For more information about fostering, or to make an enquiry, visit: https://fosterwales.gov.wales/  

[Lead image: Foster Wales]

#FosterWales #fostering