Marcus’ Transformation – A Case Study
Fostering often involves moments of doubt, where progress feels none-existent and efforts feel wasted. But every now and then, something happens that reminds us why we do what we do. This was one of those moments.
One of our foster parents, Gregg, recently shared this great moment with us, and we think it beautifully captures the impact that fostering can have, even if it doesn’t always feel visible at the time.
They told us about Amy, a young person currently in their care, who was speaking on the phone with her older brother, Marcus, who Gregg and his wife also used to foster.
“We overheard some of the call and asked Amy to put it on speaker so we could say hello,” he said. “But when Marcus spoke, we couldn’t believe what we were hearing! This was not the angry, defiant teenager who first moved in with us, struggling to process his emotions.” Instead, they were speaking to a calm and thoughtful young man who had clearly been given the opportunity and environment to grow and develop emotionally. Marcus spoke openly about how he used to be so angry at the world, but throughout his fostering journey, he had realised he didn’t want to live like that anymore.
He offered to take Amy shopping in Manchester as a belated birthday gift, even offering to organise her travel. “We told him how thoughtful that was, and we’d be happy to take her ourselves, but it meant a lot that he thought of it.”
He shared that he had left college and was now working with his dad as a carpet fitter, which is going very well, and he’s very much enjoying it. “It felt like we were talking to a completely different person,” Gregg said.
Reflecting on the conversation, Gregg told us, “Sometimes you wonder if you’re making any difference. The road can be so hard. But then something like this happens. You see that all the effort, the patience, and the persistence… it’s working. It’s changing lives.”
These are the stories that remind us why we do what we do. Behind every challenge is a young person with potential, and with the right support, they can thrive.
If you’re thinking about becoming a foster parent, please contact us
The names in this case study have been changed for privacy reasons.
