I Fostered Over 200 Children

What is it really like to foster a child?

In this powerful episode, Charis sits down with Deborah Bright, who has spent the last 35 years fostering more than 200 children alongside raising her own family and adopting two children herself.

Deborah shares the realities of fostering, from welcoming newborn babies into her home to the heartbreak of saying goodbye when they move on. She opens up about the emotional toll, the impact on her family, the challenges of caring for traumatised children, and the moments that have made it all worthwhile.

Together, Charis and Deborah discuss:
• How Deborah first became a foster carer
• The hardest part of fostering
• Supporting children through trauma and loss
• Maintaining relationships with birth families
• Why there is a shortage of foster carers
• The realities of fostering teenagers
• The emotional impact on foster carers and their families
• The moment Deborah knew she'd made a difference

This is an honest, moving conversation about love, loss, resilience and the life-changing impact of opening your home to a child in need.

If you've ever considered fostering, or simply want to hear an extraordinary story from someone who has dedicated her life to helping children, this episode is for you.