Recognising those with Big Hearts - Alison (The Beacon School, Folkestone)

Fostering Together launched the Big Heart for Children with Disabilities initiative in 2024, seeking to say our collective 'thank you's to those wider teams around the children we have the privilege to support that have amazing impacts on their lives, be it through the health & medical inputs, therapeutic support and more.

Today we had the absolute pleasure of surprising Alison Grimmet at The Beacon Folkestone with a Big Heart for Children with Disabilities Award, before her upcoming retirement! Fostering Together's Matt and Jack joined foster carer Julie, her foster child and her two adults her family cares for—who have been pupils at the Beacon for many years—to celebrate Alison’s impact in the Kent community.

Nominated by foster carer Julie, Alison was recognised for her strong communication, excellent advocacy and wonderful role in supporting so many disabled young peoples' lives.

The Big Heart for Children with Disabilities Award was a new initiative introduced by Fostering Together to celebrate amazing and under-appreciated people in the wider reaches of teams working with children and thank them for amazing impact they have for children who have disabilities, both those in foster care and not.