The calendar reminds us that Mother’s Day is around the corner, in fact, this Sunday. It makes me wonder, how many “mothers” do you have? Who are those special people to you?

It is a fact that we all have a biological mother, but most of us also have other mother figures in our lives. Some of us live with our biological mothers, others do not. Some of us know our biological mother, others do not. When thinking of what a mother is, it is often that we see these motherly traits in many people in our lives. Here are some I thought of:

• Biological mothers
• Step Mothers
• Foster Mothers
• God mothers
• Grandmothers
• A friend’s mother;
• Dads who are being both mum and dad; and
• Someone who is not family, but you see them as a mother figure.

For children and young people in Out of Home Care, Mother’s Day can be difficult. Schools will hold Mother’s Day concerts, the shops remind us with merchandise at every corner, and families get together to celebrate the day. The children/young people in OOHC may not have a scheduled contact on Sunday to see their mothers. They may have to wait until the next contact which could be a month away or even longer. Some children/young people will have mixed emotions about the day. Whilst they care for their foster mother, they can find it hard to tell her this as they don’t want to be seen to be replacing their own biological mother.

If you are a foster carer, remember to celebrate the day but don’t forget to acknowledge biological mothers if possible. This will show the children/young people in your placement your inclusiveness and acceptance of their birth family.

I would like to thank all the foster carers out there who are doing an amazing job being mothers to those who need you most.

Happy Mother’s Day to you all!

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