Leonie Patterson has a rather large family – four birth children, one adopted son, one permanent-care daughter, 15 grandchildren, one great grandchild and 285 foster children.
That’s more than 300.
“A little bit bigger than most families,” she says with a laugh.
Ms Patterson’s foster story started with a two-year-old named James in 1985 when she decided to “try” foster-caring for six months.
Now, 31 years later, she has no plans to stop.
The Melton West “nan’s” caring nature and willingness to open her heart and home to the community’s most vulnerable earned her Melton council’s woman of the year award.
“I always wanted more children, but you can’t afford to keep having them,” Ms Patterson says.
“Fostering fulfilled my desires for having children. I won’t say it’s always easy, but it’s always worthwhile.”
Ms Patterson, 69, says the most rewarding part of being a foster carer is seeing the children who sometimes arrive at her house traumatised and scared, come out of their shells.
“With some love and some boundaries – it’s like a bit of magic – you watch the children start to blossom and be able to start to grow,” she says. “It sounds like a cliche, but it’s like watching a flower open and blossom.”
Ms Patterson says she finally feels content with life and that her time on earth has been worthwhile.
“I’m blessed to be born,” she says. “I didn’t want to waste my life … raising my own family isn’t wasting a life, but I needed to do more to know I’m worth being alive.”
Ms Patterson’s award came as the state government appealed for more foster carers and invested $3.2 million towards recruiting and retaining more carers.
More details: fosteringconnections.com.au or call Melton Foster Care on 9747 8310.
