Foster Care Fortnight 2025: The Power of Relationships

Nearly 40% of foster carers balance fostering with other work commitments.

And this balance is a challenge. Foster carers are given a new set of admin-heavy responsibilities. But the relationships that are built within the fostering community make the balance easier, and these connections are the thread that runs through every fostering story.

To celebrate Foster Care Fortnight, Bill Yuksel shares what a day looks like as a kinship foster carer for his nephew, when their social workers come to visit.

Since becoming a foster carer, regular contact with two social workers has become an important connection in my life. One supervises me, and another is my nephew’s social worker. These relationships came about as part of my fostering agreement, but they have transformed my and my nephew’s lives.

What it’s like to be a kinship foster parent.

Of course, my nephew is my most important relationship. While we’re always busy, we have a good life and manage to fit everything in. We make time for each other, eat well, and stay active.

A common misconception I want to challenge is that being a foster carer is just like being a parent. I believe foster care is different. It involves lots of admin and hoops to jump through while trying to provide care for a child who has almost inevitably experienced significant trauma. That’s why the relationship between a foster carer and a child must be deeply nurtured.

It’s also important to note that many kinship foster carers don’t receive financial parity with mainstream foster carers. Many have to reduce their working hours, some leave their jobs altogether, and re-entering the workforce later can be difficult.

I’ve also encountered stigma and negative assumptions about my role as a kinship carer. That said, my relationship with my work has been positive with my employer being highly supportive, and I am exceptionally lucky that Peridot Partners have been fantastic every step of the way.

As a foster carer, I have frequent visits from our social workers. Here’s what a typical day looks like when they do:

7:00 a.m.

Get up, eat breakfast together, and see my nephew off to school. Down an espresso and mentally prepare for the next two hours.

7:30 a.m.

Get dressed and clean the house from top to bottom in preparation for my two visits. Fun fact: my house can be subject to an unannounced visit twice a year, so it’s always somewhat presentable.

8:30 a.m.

Prepare for my financial audit. Finances are different from typical child benefits, and I have two payments, one of which I need to audit, keep receipts for, and get signed off by my social worker. Catching up with six weeks of receipts and expenses is every bit as fun as you imagine—and requires two calculators!

9:15 a.m.

Double-check all the key spots in the house to ensure I haven’t missed anything.

9:25 a.m.

Make coffee—I strongly believe in being a good host.

9:30 a.m.

Supervision. We discuss the events of the past six weeks, including two CPD courses I completed as part of my requirements as a foster carer, and begin to prepare for my annual interview with the fostering panel, which is required every year to continue as a foster carer.

11:30 a.m.

Get back to work and catch up on everything I’ve missed in the morning.

12: 00 p.m.

Eat lunch.

12:30 p.m.

Back to work. I have two meetings with candidates and both happy to speak over the phone, so I take the chance to get away from my desk for a much needed walk. It’s then head down for a few hours as I am trying to get three roles ready to go live.

4.00 p.m.

My nephew’s social worker visits. I have a few important conversations to ensure my nephew is getting the right support.

5:30 p.m.

After the social worker leaves, it’s time to cook dinner. We always eat together at the table with no devices, which is the best part of my day.

6:15 p.m.

Head to the gym. My nephew is very active, and regular exercise helps keep him regulated. Fun fact: I’m not allowed to expense any of the cost I personally incur within the activities I do with my nephew, such as going to the gym, so I’m paying for two memberships—one for the gym I want, and another for a gym that allows juniors (just another hidden cost of being a kinship carer).

7:30 p.m.

Encourage my nephew to have a shower and make him a post-gym snack.

8.00 p.m.

Fake bedtime. I encourage my nephew to put away his laundry which I managed to finish during the day and spend some time winding down. I catch up on emails and bits of work.

9.00 p.m.

Actual bedtime! Glad I’m not a child now because this is when all devices get locked. We hug and he goes to bed. I finish up the last few tasks at work.

9:30 p.m.

Finally done! Time to chill out for a while.

Final note

Through strong, trusting relationships, I have been able to make a difference. My nephew has caught up on nearly three years of educational attainment and genuinely believes that in a better future for himself. I am proud of how far he’s come, and I wouldn’t trade the life we’ve built for anything.