Julie and Matthew Cooch from South Minster have been fostering over 9 years. They currently have a foster son who has been with them for 6 years, since he was 3 years old.
With the support of Essex County Council, the couple feel that they now understand the reasons behind some of his challenging behaviour and has enabled them to modify their responses.
“He has transformed from someone who was excluded from school because he wouldn’t engage in lessons and lashed out at teachers to now being in full time education with an enhanced provision learning establishment. We can’t imagine what he has been through, so we don’t judge his behaviour or let it be an excuse for his behaviour, but it does increase our empathy for him”.
Read more of Julie and Matthew's fostering story on our blog.