“Having the children walk us into the registry office and be a big part of our day, was just amazing.”
This, the proudest memory shared by Michael and his husband Liam, since becoming foster carers for Rochdale Borough Council more than 4 and a half years ago.
Reliving this special moment during national awareness campaign Foster Care Fortnight, the happy couple had only been fostering 2 siblings for a short while when they tied the knot in 2021.
However, it’s clear how much they both already meant to the young brother and sister as Michael recalled their special day:
"When they announced we were married, they were both in tears.
“They absolutely loved the whole day and for us, that was just the best moment ever.
“They hadn’t met everyone in our lives at that point, so I remember our little girl running round everywhere and introducing herself to everybody, it was so lovely to see.”
As a gay couple, Michael and Liam have always wanted to be parents and when they first got together in 2019, they were both set on supporting young people through the fostering route. Michael added:
“I'm from a background which wasn’t brilliant as a kid, so I just wanted to make a difference,”
“We’d heard such good things about fostering, especially from some of our friends who are foster carers, so it really appealed to us.”
Michael explained how supportive the council was during their application process, especially supervising social worker Jane, and when they were both successful at fostering panel, the pair were ‘over the moon’ with excitement as their dream of being parents was coming true. Michael said:
“Having the kids in our lives has enhanced our lives so much,”
“Our 2 siblings have been with us through our entire fostering journey, so to see the growth in them and the difference we’ve been able to make in their lives has just been immense.”
Now fostering 4 children in total, Michael and Liam love sharing in their achievements and special milestone moments.
From taking them to their first day at a new school to seeing them take their first driving lesson, Michael added: “It’s just those little things and achievements that they’ve made, which make us feel so proud that they are where they are, and we’ve been able to be a part of that.”
Michael and Liam focus all their efforts on making memories with their foster children as they want them to grow up as adults and reflect on happy moments.
From trips to Disneyland and special birthdays celebrated in Berlin and Iceland, to activities including horse riding, bowling and the local cinema, these moments are captured in photo albums every year and shared with the children. Michael said:
“They love getting these memory books because it reminds them of everything they have done.
“When you come into foster care, you've often suffered significant trauma so for us, it’s about trying to give them the best life that we can give them.
“We absolutely love fostering and we love the fact that we’re making a difference – it’s what we’ve always wanted to do and what we want to do for many more years.”
Anyone looking to follow in Michael and Liam’s footsteps as foster carers, must be aged 21 and over and have at least one spare room safe for a child.
Councillor Rachel Massey (Left) delivering a gift of thanks to Michael (right).
Reflecting on the impact of local foster carers in Rochdale, Councillor Rachel Massey, portfolio holder for children’s services and education, added:
“Our foster carers make a massive difference to the lives of our children and young people and the impact they have on their lives is immeasurable.
“By opening your loving home to local children in need and providing them with that warmth and opportunity to thrive, our foster carers are enabling our children to lead and achieve their best life, and I am incredibly thankful for all their support.
"If you can make a positive impact on a local child’s life too, our fostering services would love to have a chat with you in more detail about the flexible fostering opportunities we have available.”
- Foster for Greater Manchester – find out more about fostering for Rochdale Borough Council
- Find your nearest Fostering information session
- You can find out more by emailing enquire@FosterForGM.com
- You can also find out more by calling 0300 303 0321