Elle Mae Hambley age 12, has won the National Excellence Award for Sons & Daughters with the Fostering Network Excellence Awards

Elle Mae Hambley, 12, is a compassionate and generous foster sister. When her family fostered a little girl with significant disabilities, including visual impairment, Elle Mae welcomed the girl into her family saying that she deserved a second chance with her family. Elle Mae taught her foster sister to ride a bike, helped her with swimming and during Sunday School at church. Elle Mae also learned basic braille so she could help her foster sister with homework from school and they formed an amazing bond together.

Elle Mae was then an enormous help in preparing her foster sister for the transition to her adoptive family. She made her an audio photo album as well as a memory box full of tactile things so that the little girl could feel them and remember the special things that she loved to do.

 Elle Mae’s parents say of her: ‘In our eyes we would not have been able to be foster carers without the full support and co-operation of our very special daughter Elle Mae.’

The awards take place in autumn each year and they are a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the young people, foster carers, social workers and others who make a positive contribution to fostering every year.   The ceremony takes place in London on 27th September and Elle Mae and her family will be travelling down there to receive her award.

Elle Mae’s award celebrates a son, daughter or sibling group who have gone the extra mile to support their parents or children and young people in foster care with their family.