Exploring the Fostering Community with Carer Connect Lead Chrissy Coleman

This year’s Foster Care Fortnight theme is ‘Fostering Communities’, and Olive Branch wouldn’t be what it is without our amazing team! One such team member is Chrissy Coleman, who is our Carer Connect Lead.

We spoke to Chrissy to find out more about what a typical working day looks like for her…

Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?

I’ve worked with children for most of my life, and I used to be a foster carer. My journey into fostering started when I was 22 and working at a youth club. There was a boy at the youth club who needed regular respite care from his mum, who was an alcoholic. One night, he was upset because he needed respite and couldn’t get hold of anyone, so he’d planned on sleeping in an abandoned car near a tip. I remember driving home from the youth club thinking ‘I can’t do this’, so I picked him up and took him to stay at my house. That’s when I ended up becoming his respite carer, which inspired me to foster.

The most recent child I fostered was a 14-year-old boy. When he turned 16, he was going to be moved into semi-independence in Nottingham. However, he had his exams coming up, and he didn’t want to leave. I stopped fostering then because I didn’t have any room for any other children, and he left when he was 27.

At that time, I’d been working in schools, before starting at a children’s home. I’ve now been in my current role, as a Carer Connect Lead at Olive Branch, for around two months.

Can you tell me more about what your role involves?

My main role is to support the foster carers. This involves forming local hubs, where foster carers can connect with each other on a regular basis and form support networks in their area. I’m also working on a monthly newsletter, which I want the carers to be involved with.

Another part of my role is updating the carers profiles that are given to children and young people before they meet them. It’s really important to make them friendly and appealing for the young people coming to stay with them.

I will be working with carers from the very start of their journey into fostering and supporting them and ensuring that they feel connected to Olive Branch. I will also be supporting Supervising Social Workers and helping them to support carers that may be struggling or going through a difficult period.

I feel my role is very wide and varied and every day is different.

What does a typical day look like for you?

No two days are the same, especially as I drive around a lot, but I’m usually at the local hubs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Mondays, I’m in the Lancashire office so I can prepare for the week and join the weekly operations meeting. I meet with the carers and offer them support and encourage them to meet with one another to form smaller, localised support networks. I hope that when these are more established, we will be able to meet in local parks in the summer holidays. 

What do you like most about your role?

My favourite part of the role is meeting people. All the foster carers have unique personalities, and one even has 27 pets! I also feel well-supported at Olive Branch.

It’s like one big family!

What’s the most challenging thing about your role?

Delivering training, as I have not done this before, so it’s a little scary.

Any advice for someone considering fostering?

Just go for it! Fostering is so rewarding! It can be challenging, it can make you cry, but it also makes you laugh and feel warm inside. It’s amazing to support these young people and make their life better.

The theme for this year’s Foster Care Fortnight is ‘Fostering Communities’. What does community mean to you?

Having been a foster carer myself, to me it’s all about foster carers getting together and being aware of other foster carers. Foster carers know what foster carers go through, including the difficulties and how small achievements can be massive achievements. For example, a small breakthrough like a child coming out of their bedroom is huge. It’s all about having someone to talk to.   

Could you open your heart and home to a child who needs a fresh start and a safe space to call home?

Get in touch with us today.