With nearly two decades of experience as a foster carer to more than twenty children, Caoimhe has seen what stays with a child long after they leave your home. It’s not what you buy for them – it’s how you make them feel.
When Caoimhe Mannix talks about fostering, she doesn’t speak in abstract terms. She talks about love. About hugs. About a child running across the street years later, now a grown adult, just to say hello.
“I’ve had 22 children through the house in 18 years,” she shares. “These kids, they need you. They love you. You love them." It’s that carer-child bond, often wordless, that fuels everything.
“You know in your heart you’re doing your best,” Caoimhe says. “And they love you for it, even if they don’t show it [at the time] – they do.”
For Caoimhe, the biggest moments of impact aren’t found in files or reports – they’re found in hugs and happiness. A thank-you hug from a birth parent. A grown child running across the street to hug you, years after you might have cared for them. That joyous moment with someone who could have just walked on by, but didn't because of the love and stability you were able to provide.
“Some of them aren’t kids anymore. They’re in their twenties,” she explains. “And they still have the time for you. They still say hello.”
That’s what she holds on to because, as she puts it:
“People remember how you make them feel. That’s better than anything you say.”
Caoimhe’s message to new foster carers who might need some words of encouragment is simple: "Keep going. Keep fighting."
There will be moments of doubt. Questions about whether you’re making a difference. And you might not see it immediately in the hustle and bustle of the day to day, but love – the steady, patient kind of love that foster carers provide – always leaves a mark.
Even after the child has moved on – whether to independent living or back to their birth families – what you were able to give them stays with them. That safe place. That warmth. That feeling of being wanted and cared for. That's the beauty of foster care.
At Origins Foster Care, we know that fostering is an incredibly rewarding experience and one that is life-changing for both carers and children alike. We also know that it can bring challenges, which is why we don’t expect carers to shoulder this journey alone. At Origins we provide all our foster carers with:
Whether you’re brand new to fostering or thinking about switching to Origins Foster Care, Caoimhe’s story reminds us: it’s not about being perfect, it’s about showing up day after day – and making children feel safe, seen, and loved.
Feeling inspired by Caoimhe’s story? Here are a few ways to learn more:
→ Learn more about the supports Origins provides every foster carer
→ Explore our Become a Foster Carer page to see how you can get started fostering
→ Join one of our upcoming online Fostering Info Sessions
→ Or Apply Online to Become a Foster Carer if you're ready to take the next step
Reach out for any questions and enquiries. A member of our fostering team will get back to you as soon as possible.
