South Lakes foster couple transform young boy’s life

Being fostered by Geoff and Stephen turned Aiden’s life around and he is looking forward to a bright future.

You too can help build incredible futures for vulnerable children like Aiden by becoming a foster carer and providing a supportive, loving home.

"When Aiden first came to us he was very unsure of himself," Geoff said. "He lacked confidence and had very low self-esteem.

"He’d had so much to deal with in his young life and his behaviour was very unpredictable.

"When he couldn’t cope with a situation he would put on his ‘angry face’ and be oblivious to everything around him, like he was in a trance.

"He found it challenging to form relationships and friendships – nowadays everyone who meets him loves him – he’s happy, outgoing, caring and funny."

School was a particular issue for Aiden.

"School was a real struggle," Geoff said. "It was the one place where he was put under pressure and he couldn’t handle it at all.

"With everything else going on in his life, education was the last thing on his mind and he just couldn’t manage to focus at all.

"We worked closely with his primary school so our expectations and approaches were consistent, and gradually with support and patience at school, coupled with love and encouragement at home, Aiden started to improve and enjoy learning.

"I remember him looking at the graduation photos of my own grown-up children and asking me – ‘Can I do that too?’ – I told him he could do anything he put his mind to.

"In Year 6, he started to achieve and loved being praised – he began to believe in himself and his abilities.

"When he moved up to secondary school, he didn’t want extra help anymore – he didn’t want to be different to his classmates, so the assistant worked with everyone in the class rather than just Aiden.

"And now he’s completed his GCSEs – he worked for four hours every night for the four months leading up to the exams, that’s sheer determination.

"He’s loving sixth form because he’s treated like an adult and his next step - to study history at Leeds Uni - is all planned out.

"Aiden’s not just proved his abilities in school – he’s an all-round good egg. He’s ranked sixth in Judo for his age group in the UK and travels to the championships on his own – letting us know when he’s arrived safe and how the competitions are going.

"He’s also completed his Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award – it was really tough, and at the end he announced that that was it - but since then, in true Aiden style, he’s decided to go for Gold, so he’ll be presented with the medal by King Charles.

"Last summer he joined a British Exploring Society expedition, mountaineering and camping in the wilds of Scotland for two weeks. He was put forward by his Scout leader.

"The charity’s aim is to give young people equal access to challenging learning and adventure in the wilderness to help prepare them for adult life - building resilience, communication skills, and problem solving.

"We’re always going off camping for weekends so Aiden knows the ropes, but this was a bit tougher than our trips – they each had to carry an 80lb kit bag, hike for miles, scale mountains and wash in rivers.

"There were 14 members of the team, some looked after kids like Aiden, others from low income inner-city areas.

"He was in his element, he took on the role of a leader, supporting other less experienced members and made friends for life.

"This year the expedition heads to the Canadian Yukon and Aiden will be among the group.

"Our fostering journey continues to be an incredible adventure for us all. Stephen, Aiden and I would encourage everyone who has space in their heart and space in their house, to come forward and give a vulnerable child the love and security needed for them to unlock their true potential, and look forward to a brighter future."

If you would like to make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable children and young people in your local community by becoming a foster carer, visit https://www.nfa.co.uk/thinking-about-fostering/