Meet Tazbila

Joining Credo in September 2008, Tazbila decided to consider fostering as a career after her son was born with a hearing impairment. Being exposed to the negative reactions surrounding children with additional needs inspired her to want to provide stability and support to a child with disabilities. “My son is proud of his hearing aids, they are his magic ears and I wanted other children to feel that confidence”, said Tazbila. Hearing other parents say their children would take off and hide their hearing aids made Tazbila want to instil that same confidence she had given her son.

Tazbila knew she wanted to specialise in children with additional needs and was drawn to Credo Care after discovering the foster agency specialised in children with disabilities.The application process was nerve-racking, but the wait for approval was well worth it. Tazbila said, “I was so happy because this was our passion.”

To prepare her children for the transition, Tazbila utilised story books to explain about fostering. There is always someone from Credo Care at the end of the phone to give reassurance when needed. “The out of hours service is amazing, it gives you the opportunity to call and let the agency know if a situation arises, such as a child having a seizure”, said Tazbila.

Credo Care provides specialised training which is child specific and the monthly support groups also provide the foster carers with the opportunity to catch up and to receive updates on what is happening within the agency. Tazbila said, “Support groups are fantastic. You don’t feel judged because everyone is going through the same thing”.

In the past, Tazbila’s birth children have been invited to take part in activities specific for birth children which gave them the opportunity to meet other children who were having similar experiences. Tazbila said, “Every social worker we’ve had has been absolutely brilliant. They’ve supported us and understand our household and rules. I don’t feel as though I have ever been judged by a social worker at Credo Care and have always felt comfortable discussing our situation.”

Tazbila said, “My birth children are compassionate, feel empathy and are all together well-rounded individuals. I feel this has been enhanced by being part of a foster family and opening our home to children who are in need. They are resilient and more accepting and at young ages they were able to see past the disability to the person. To anyone considering becoming a foster carer, it’s absolutely brilliant and the best thing you’ll do. You won’t necessarily see all of your hard work at once, so patience is a must but remember by fostering a child with additional needs, you are giving them a voice.”

For more success stories, read about our foster carer, Suzannah.