“I love caring for children and young people with disability because of the positive difference it makes to their and our lives.”
Chris and Don have always worked closely with their local Adelaide community, either as small business owners or in a community service capacity. They always knew they wanted to make a positive difference in peoples lives, and found just the way to do it in 2011.
After seeing the joy and fulfilment a close friend got from being a foster carer through Life Without Barriers, Chris and Don knew they wanted to give foster care a go.
That was nine years ago. Since then they’ve been full-time carers with Life Without Barriers and have fostered many children and young people in respite, emergency, complex needs, disability, and palliative care from ages 0 to 18.
They love being carers and are so glad they took the leap onto the path of fostering.
“I now know, I should have always been a carer.” Chris.
Chris has also become a passionate carer advocate, and is now a member of both state and national carer reference and advocacy groups.
Currently, the couple has in their full time care a three-year-old boy, who they have cared for for over two years, and a 17-year-old teen, who they have cared for for eight years. Both of the boys have complex disabilities.
Chris said the three-year-old is achieving more than expected and “is defying all odds by reaching milestones like rolling over and lifting his head recently”. Humbly, she credits his progress partly due to the neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to re-wire itself in response to repetitious movements and behaviors) she practices with him tirelessly every day.
“I love caring for children and young people with disability because of the positive difference it makes to their and our lives.”
