Rosie & Claire's story
At Cumbria Fostering, every fostering story is unique — and ours is no different. We’re Rosie and Claire Crewdson-Price, and this is a glimpse into our journey as foster carers and a typical day in our life caring for two wonderful young sisters.
Our fostering journey started when our eldest son flew the nest, leaving us with a spare room and a question: Could we make a difference to a child’s life?
That spare room became the beginning of something life-changing — not just for the children who would come into our home, but for us too.
From the very start, we met like-minded carers who soon became close friends. We all shared one common aim: to provide children with a loving, caring, and stable home where they could feel safe and valued.
At the time, our other teenage son was still living at home, so we initially decided to foster teenage boys. Over the years, through extensive training and hands-on experience, we’ve gained invaluable insight into the complex challenges children face. Each child brings their own experiences, traumas, and triggers — and understanding these is key to helping them heal and grow.
Training, Growth and Understanding
The training provided by the Local Authority equips you with the professionalism, knowledge, and confidence needed to care for, guide, and nurture children who may have experienced trauma.
It helps you to:
- Understand the emotional impact of trauma
- Recognise behaviour triggers
- Support children through complex issues
- Promote safeguarding and personal safety
- Build routines and structure that create security
Most importantly, fostering teaches you to show children just how important and unique they are. By promoting their qualities and encouraging them to believe in themselves, you help them build confidence and begin to see that the world truly is their oyster.
Watching children develop, grow in confidence, and flourish into the precious individuals they are meant to be is one of the most rewarding experiences imaginable.
A Typical Day in Our Home
Life as foster carers is structured, busy, and full of heart.
Claire starts her day early, heading off to work as a Passenger Assistant on school transport. Meanwhile, the girls and I begin our morning routine: getting dressed and washed, making beds, eating breakfast together, feeding and watering our little dog, Rol, and tidying up before school.
Before becoming a full-time foster carer, I worked as a self-employed bus driver and previously served as a Royal Navy Wren. Those life experiences, combined with fostering, have shaped the calm, organised structure we bring into our home each day.
Once the girls are at school, the day may include meetings with professionals — reviewing officers, social workers, teachers, and health workers — all playing vital roles in the children’s wellbeing.
There are also training sessions available throughout the week, both in person and online. Support groups and “coffee and chat” meet-ups provide invaluable opportunities to connect with other carers, share experiences, and support one another through the daily pressures fostering can sometimes bring.
Afternoons, Evenings and Family Time
The school day soon ends, and we collect the girls — sometimes from after-school club, which they absolutely love.
Evenings are centred around having tea together as a family and doing homework, followed by a bit of free time. Both the girls have set bedtimes (with a little extra flexibility on weekends and holidays).
On some evenings, the girls attend activities like dancing or Girl Guides, which help them build friendships and confidence.
Family is incredibly important to us. We regularly visit relatives, where the girls are welcomed and made to feel a part of the wider family. Weekends often include travelling, shopping, meals out, and attending church — another community where the girls find comfort and belonging.
Holidays are something we all treasure. Each year, we visit Cornwall, creating happy memories filled with laughter and shared experiences.
Throughout everything — daily routines, weekends, and holidays — we ensure that time is always set aside for family time with the girls’ birth family. Maintaining these relationships is incredibly important. This includes transportation, communication, and supporting positive connections that are vital to the children’s sense of identity.
Support, Breaks and Extended Family
Fostering is a team effort.
Occasionally, we take time for ourselves. Friends we’ve met through fostering — whose birth children have formed lovely friendships with the girls — sometimes have them to stay. The girls cherish these sleepovers, and it allows us to recharge and enjoy a short break together.
Our youngest son, now an adult, often helps with school runs, spends time with the girls, and babysits. Fostering has truly become a whole-family commitment.
How Fostering Has Changed Us
The knowledge, resilience, and life skills we’ve gained on our fostering journey are invaluable. Our lives transformed from what might have been considered a “typical” family routine into something far richer — a bigger, more understanding family filled with empathy and purpose.
We thrive on giving love, care, attention, and understanding to the little diamonds who shine in their own unique ways.
Would We Recommend Fostering?
Without hesitation — absolutely.
In fact, we actively help promote fostering through recruitment events, social media, and speaking about our experiences. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “I’d love to do something like that one day” — then why not now?
Children need safe, loving homes today.
Pick up the phone. Make the call. It could change a child’s life — and yours — forever.