When David Bullock from Frinton-on-Sea was made redundant, he and his wife Marie quickly decided to accept and embrace the situation. Marie had already provided respite foster care for a year, so the couple decided it was the perfect time to increase their involvement.
David and Marie, who have been married for nine years, looked after several children during the COVID-19 pandemic as short term or emergency placements. They've now been fostering for 18 months.
“I think many of us took going to a restaurant or taking the children swimming for granted until lockdown happened. It has made us realise just how important these seemingly little things were.
"The same can be said for spending time with family. Many of the young people who come into our care have not been afforded this before, so just spending time with them can make a big difference.
"All they really want is to have safety and a structured environment. And maybe a little fun!”
The Bullocks, who started fostering in April 2019, have since cared for eight children, including siblings. Along with their own children, boys aged 23 and 21, 11 and five years old, the couple are currently caring for a 5-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl, who are siblings.
The couple’s 11-year-old boy has autism and they are keen to encourage others in similar circumstances to not let that be a barrier to looking after more children.
“Having other children in the home often serves as a good icebreaker because a new child tends to respond more quickly to another child. They help them to see that we are kind people, and this makes them feel more comfortable in asking for something.
"We just have to take one step at a time though and be led by them when they first arrive. We let them decide if they want to see their bedroom, eat dinner, or have a bath. We don’t rush them into anything”.