A Broughty Ferry couple who looked after 175 foster babies since 1971 have said they “like to think they helped people.”
Sandra and Robin Smith will be among a number of foster carers who have helped look after children for more than 20 years honoured at Dundee City Chambers on Thursday.
Sandra, who will be 76 next month and Robin, 77, have fostered babies up to one-year-old since the couple were in their early 30s.
Despite 46 years of crying babies and sleepless nights, selfless Sandra said she would miss looking after young children and that she “likes to think” she and her husband helped people.
She said foster caring had never felt like work because it was so rewarding.
She said: “Back in 1971 we’d had three kids of our own and I thought maybe we could help somebody else and that was how it started.
“Since then we have fostered 175 children. We took in babies up to the age of one and only really took in older children for respite.”
Sandra added: “I don’t know if I would class it as work because it is something I enjoyed doing.
“Some babies are harder than others, obviously.”
Although the couple looked after so many children, because they were so young they have only remained in contact with a few of the children they have helped.
“We do still see some of them but it’s up to their parents or who adopts them if they keep in touch and that’s right – it has to be up to them,” she said.
She added: “I like to think we have helped people.”
The Smiths will join other carers at a celebration of foster carers at Dundee City Chambers on Thursday night.
The Long Service Celebration has been organised by the council’s family placement team as part of Foster Care Fortnight.
Deputy Lieutenant Charles Webster will present 14 foster carers with long service awards to recognise and celebrate their commitment to providing high quality care to Dundee children.
Eight sets of Foster carers will be celebrating 20 years’ service, 3 sets 25 years’ service and 1 set of carers are celebrating over 25 years’ service.
The Smiths and Moira Sharp, who has fostered for 23 years, will both receive Outstanding Achievement to Foster Care Awards.
Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer in Dundee should contact the family placement team on 01382 436060.
Sandra and Robin Smith and Moira Sharp who chose to retire this year after 45 and 23 years will be presented with Outstanding Achievement to Foster Care Awards.
Anyone looking to become a foster carer in Dundee can phone the family placement team on 01382 43 60 60.
More details are available online here.
