By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
ANDREW Cox doesn’t make any decision without consulting his two sons.
The Narre Warren plumber is the foster dad for two boys – aged 12 and 17 – and as Foster Care Week takes place again from 13 to 19 September, Andrew said he couldn’t imagine a life without his sons.
“They’re the world to me, there’s no decision I make without them,” he said.
“If we’re doing respite where we take in other kids for a short time I always ring them (his foster children) and check if they’re OK with it.
“I include them in all my decision-making.”
Andrew is a single dad who took in his oldest son five years ago after encouragement from a mate who works as a teacher.
After helping students in his friend’s class, Andrew’s friend urged the plumber to consider a career in teaching himself.
Andrew took this advice one step further and applied to be a foster carer.
“I put the application in one night and the next day they rang me and asked if I still wanted to do it,” Andrew said.
“It took 10 to 12 months. You’ve gotta do modules and your story goes to a panel. There’s quite a bit involved – they don’t choose just any Tom, Dick or Harry.”
Andrew took in his second foster child, the 12-year-old, about two years ago and recently the three family members celebrated Father’s Day together.
He said it was incredibly rewarding when his sons started referring to him as ‘Dad’.
And while raising two high-schools aged sons can have its challenges, Andrew said he wouldn’t want it any other way.
Andrew’s parents and relatives have also embraced the two boys as their own.
“It’s changed my life immensely. It is hard work and every decision I make now I hang on what the boys are going to do,” he said.
“If I go away, they come with me – they’re family.”
There are more than 1800 foster carer households across Victoria and almost half of these have more than one child in their care, which sees about 2100 children and young people in foster care.
