Cornelia started her career as an apprentice  in men’s fashion (sales). Afterwards she continued her education in different areas, eventually landing in HR.  She worked for a construction company for 10 years, where she led the HR department.
Currently she works as a foster parent in Switzerland with Fachstelle Kinderbetreuung Luzern.

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Tell us a little bit about yourself.                             

I am married and have two biological children and one foster child. Ten years ago, while pregnant with my first child, I applied to become a foster parent with Fachstelle. I completed the foster parent course with my husband in 2015, and in 2016 we welcomed our first foster child. In addition to being a foster parent I work 40% in school administration where I assist the principal and also help create the school budget for the municipality. It is a very flexible job that allows me to meet the needs of our kids.
 

You made a change in your profession. Was it a long prepared decision, a result of not met expectations in your previous profession or something else?
My husbands’ parents live on a farm. When they realised their children were reaching adulthood, they made the decision to open their home to foster children. They wanted to provide foster children a safe place to live and their farm was an ideal opportunity. Personally, I had my first experience with foster care through my interactions with my husband’s foster siblings. We would practice biking together or plan daytrips with the kids. It was through these experiences that I started to consider becoming a foster parent myself.

I saw first-hand how positive a foster situation can be. I saw my in-laws foster two children for a long-term placement, and they also hosted many others for vacation stays, weekends or emergency placements. It opened my eyes to the possibility of helping children in difficult situations. So I  thought to myself: it’s meaningful to help kids who are in a difficult situation, especially since they are not responsible for the circumstances they face. It is beautiful to see how children have the ability to find happiness in small moments. My decision to foster was also influenced by seeing the positive impact that my in-laws had on their foster children.  I was fascinated and motivated to become a foster parent.

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Can you explain what your main driving considerations were?
We want to be conscious of the people in our community. Things are not always easy. Sometimes people struggle and are in difficult situations. I grew up next to an organization for people with disabilities. Very young in life I was already aware of different family models and not just the typical “normal” family.
In addition, the idea of donating money to a charity without knowing where it goes was something I couldn’t identify with. However I could identify with the idea of being part of something, being at the grassroots level, truly being with people. I feel being a foster parent is an important job and a social responsibility for the whole community.

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Is your formal education "in line" with social work, or you had to complete some additional formal/informal education?
At Fachstelle, there is an obligatory 8-day internal training for foster parents. Additionally, as foster parents, we are required to participate in at least one workshop/training day per year. Fachstelle offers a variety of workshops/training days on subjects relevant to foster care.

Currently, I am voluntarily taking a course on trauma pedagogy. I want to know more about children who have gone through traumatic events and I think it is important to know more what this means for their behaviour.

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Did it take a long time before the first foster child came?
We applied and very soon after that we were asked to care for a foster child. We were relatively open, some families have an age-limit, but we decided against that.  Many children come from group homes and then transition to long-term care in a foster family. We visited our first foster child in their group home. Most of the kids he was living with were transitioned into a long-term foster family.  For me it was quite astonishing to see that when we visited this same group home again, it was completely full again. There is a big need for foster parents.

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Does being a foster parent respond to your expectations?
Yes, it is what I expected, although every child is different. The first child that lived with us was more challenging. The child had different behavioural tendencies that were more difficult for us as a family to navigate. The second child, the one that lives with us now, is able to integrate in our family and the development is more tangible. And also the timing of the placement was different. The second child was able to enter into a safer environment at an earlier point, therefore also having an effect on the possibilities of integrating, feeling good of where they are living and also fitting into the family.

We as a family feel comfortable with the situation right now. It is a give and a take. As a family we are able to profit, the child is able to profit and so it’s a win-win situation. When I look back on the placements then I see how much it is a win for the whole family. Being able to understand what it means to have different paths of life and different biological families. That is for the whole family something positive, a win and a real enrichment. 

I know that there are children who are not placed in the correct situation for their needs. Maybe a family without other children or foster parents with a professional background might be a more suitable setting for them. It is so important to have a professional organization that is able to back foster parents when a situation is difficult. It is so important to feel supported. It doesn’t matter if you were a social worker or that you have another professional background. To be a foster parent is just very different because it involves your personal life and your home. It’s not just a job, its more than that. Having the support from professionals is important, especially when family members are reaching their emotional limits.

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How do you see yourself as a foster parent in coming years, what would you like to improve at personal level and what on a social field level?
I like to continue to develop, to continue to meet new challenges. When all the kids are a bit older, I can imagine starting an education in the area of social work. I see how much of a need there is in this area. Exactly how and what is not planned now. Two or three more years and then I will consider my options.

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What do you think the sector could do to recruit more employees?
It’s a difficult question what the social sector can do to recruit. To recruit foster parents, it’s important to have a presence in news articles or campaigns like these. As much as possible presence in everyday life, because I know that if I did not have the experience of my husbands’ parents, I probably wouldn’t be a foster parent today. In today’s society there is such an emphasis on individualism and the fast-paced lifestyle often takes precedence. It’s hard to say what being a foster parent means. I wonder if it is possible to convince people from the outside in. It is probably something that should come from within. I don’t have a solution, other than to be as present as possible. And having people know what it means to be a foster parent and what needs there are in this sector.