Fostering "as a single parent" Naz's story

12-07-2012

A woman from Nottingham who spent her teenage years in care is now providing security to other young girls working as a foster carer with Fostering Solutions.

Naz Nasar (33) became a foster carer with Fostering Solutions four years ago and has since gone on to care for three teenage girls.

Naz, who also has a six year old son, said: “Having been in care myself as a teenage girl I feel that I really understand what these girls are going through and can give them the help and support that they need.

“I initially began fostering as a single parent. My son was only a toddler and it seemed like an ideal time to open up my home to young women who needed it.

“So far I’ve looked after three girls and seeing the positive impact it has had on them has been incredibly rewarding and has reinforced all the reasons why I wanted to become a foster carer in the first place.”

Naz is a practising Muslim and is raising her son in the faith. Two of the girls who have stayed with her have also been Muslim, but her current placement isn’t, which has brought a new dynamic to the house.

Naz explained: “My latest placement isn’t a Muslim and hadn’t spoken to an Asian person before she met me. Now, after living with me and my son, she is learning about the culture, enjoying the traditional food I cook and broadening her outlook, which is great.”

Although Naz has fostered on her own for the last four years, she has recently married and her husband, Abbas Amin, is now going through the process to become a foster carer with her.

Naz again: “When I met Abbas he knew that fostering was really important and fortunately he has embraced the opportunity to become a carer himself. He’s seen the important role I play in the lives of the girls that come to stay and how much I get out of it.

“Fostering isn’t an easy job. You have to go in it for the right reasons and have a lot of determination and patience. But I’d say to anyone considering becoming a foster carer ‘give it a shot’.”

If you would like to know more about becoming a Foster Carer with us, click here to apply online.