BBC viewers have praised Joe Swash and his mum after she shared her journey in fostering on last night’s moving documentary (July 11).
Joe’s mother Kiffy appeared on the BBC’s Joe Swash: Teens in Care and discussed how she became a foster mum after Joe and his sisters Shana and Cassie grew up.
Speaking on the show, Kiffy revealed that she had always planned to foster children with her late husband Ricky after their biological kids grew up. Sadly, Ricky died in 1994 from the undiagnosed heart condition at the age of just 39. However, Kiffy ended up honouring their plans.
Joe Swash’s mum makes confession
Opening up about why she decided to foster, Kiffy said: “Dad and I always said: ‘When our kids get older and don’t need us on that full-time basis, that was something that we would love to do.’
“It was always in my mind. And then obviously dad died. Shana [Joe’s sister] was only two, I was on my own with three kids. But I always held that memory.”
So when Shana got to 18, I approached social services. A year and a half later, foster mum!
She added: “So when Shana got to 18, I approached social services. A year and a half later, foster mum!”
Kiffy also touched on how foster children have come from challenging circumstances and that foster parents have to assure the children that “they’re on their side”.
One of Kiffy’
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