Arun and Shirisha
Arun Lekkala and his wife Shirisha have been foster carers since 2023. Arun explains the ethos behind their desire to foster.
I've always had a strong desire to become a foster parent. This aspiration began when I first approached the council as a single man. However, after meeting my wife Shirisha, I decided to shelve the idea temporarily as I was uncertain about her feelings regarding fostering children.
Shirisha encountered several challenges during her pregnancy, which ultimately led us to the difficult decision of not having any more children after the birth of our first daughter, who is now eight years old.
Fostering has always been on my mind, so I decided to discuss the subject casually with Shirisha. Much to my relief, she responded positively! I was initially apprehensive, but her support was a turning point.
Moreover, my wife's profession as a childminder has given us an advantage, as our daughter is accustomed to having numerous children around the house daily, including infants who often stay until late at night.
We carefully considered how to approach the subject with our daughter. We value transparency in our family, and she had already sensed that something significant was happening as we went through the assessment process. Ultimately, we decided to be honest with her about our decision to become foster parents and included her in the process, while withholding specific details about the placements we would be involved in.
We firmly believe that our daughter's exposure to diverse backgrounds through fostering will provide her with a valuable and positive life experience, instilling a sense of self-satisfaction and a broader outlook on life. We are confident that this experience will shape her into a person with strong values.
In our Asian culture, the concept of an extended family is widely accepted. For us, fostering is an extension of this ethos. We are building a constantly evolving family unit based on love and care. Witnessing the positive impact this has on our family brings us immense happiness.
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