Kate, Andy and Leah
aged 38, 43 and 4
KATE, ANDY & LEAH are a family who enjoy being home based, as well as engaging in outdoor activities. Such activities include swimming, horse riding and ballet lessons, bike rides, ten-pin bowling and cinema trips. All of these activities could be adapted to suit a child or young person.
Kate and Andy are a very engaging and playful couple who are fun to be around. They have been together for 18 years. Kate and Andy live in a vibrant town with Leah. Andy also has a son, Jason, by his first marriage, who lives with his mother.
Kate and Andy are ready to offer long-term stability and commitment to a child or young person with disabilities or complex needs, particularly profound, multiple learning difficulties or physical care needs. Andy works as a Quality Inspector for a company, and Kate has a wealth of experience in caring for disabled children and young people, and will be the main carer.
Leah is a confident, delightful child who is very excited to welcome another young person into the family. She is very positive about the family’s plan to foster, and has some experience of disability within the extended family and through Kate’s work.
Kate and Andy’s considerable life experience of disabilities in their birth families has led to their desire to foster a disabled child or young person. Kate’s lengthy professional experience of caring for children, young people and older adults with severe disabilities is also a factor. Kate has worked for six years in a respite unit caring for disabled children and young people, gaining many skills and considerable experience of working with profound disabilities. Some of these children have learning difficulties, global developmental delay, autistic spectrum disorder, as well as other medical requirements. Kate also has specific experience of children with hearing impairments. Prior to her current role, Kate worked as part of a team caring for young disabled women. She has a City & Guilds qualification in Community Care and a NVQ 3 in Caring for Children and Young People. Additionally, Kate has experience of, and training in, a number of nursing care procedures.
Kate and Andy have supportive family connections and friends in their local area, which has a wide range of facilities, including two schools for children with special educational needs. There are opportunities for horse riding for disabled people, and a wide range of other outdoor activities.
Kate, Andy and Leah live on the edge of town in south-west England in a spacious four-bedroomed semi-detached house, in an elevated position with tremendous views of the surrounding countryside. Downstairs, the lounge is extremely large and on the same level as the dining room, kitchen, downstairs toilet and large bedroom. This bedroom is very suitable for a child with complex needs and has recently been decorated and equipped with additional sockets for specialist equipment. Kate and Andy have turned the downstairs toilet into a full-sized wet room. On the first floor is a spare single bedroom, which could provide cheerful accommodation for a foster child. There are two double bedrooms, used by the family, with a good sized bathroom. A large enclosed garden is spread over two levels, and the couple could add a winding path, should this be needed to facilitate access for a child with limited mobility.
Ethnic and cultural descent: white British
Approval status: approved as permanent foster carers for two children or young people, aged up to 18 years; Kate and Andy are aware of the importance of contact with birth family and would support contact, either direct or indirect
Area: south-west England
For more information about this family, please email us and we will forward on your details to their social worker.
Last updated: 03 December 08
