'They give so much love'
Children come into foster families from challenging backgrounds. As one foster mother in Serbia puts it, that means they often long for love – and have a great deal of love to give in return. Here is her family's story.
Four years ago, Valentina Djelic and her husband Ranko decided to become foster parents. Less than a month after completing a training program, they received a call: there was a baby in need of a home.
"Beba arrived at our home at just four months old, neglected and in need of full care. We had to take her to the doctor regularly,” Valentina says.
Soon after, Beba’s older sister Ruska, then just 1.5 years old, also joined the Djelic family.
From the very beginning, Valentina and Ranko’s two older, teenaged daughters were involved in caring for the girls.
What started as an emergency placement has since grown into long-term foster care. Ruska and Beba live with the Djelics today, where they attend preschool, make friends, and, most importantly, are happy, healthy, and loved.
“Foster care is not just about providing a home and a roof over a child’s head. It is about understanding their needs and adjusting all your responsibilities to support them. To me, foster care is more than parenting. You give extra attention to a child who is not biologically yours, but you become their mother, nonetheless. The love you share is deep and mutual,” Valentina says.
The foster care journey of the Djelic family, who also provided short-term emergency care for a young boy in need, has been supported by the training they received for both standard and emergency foster care. They also receive ongoing support from the Centre for Social Work in Kraljevo and the Centre for Family Placement and Adoption in Kragujevac.
Marija Tomovic, a case manager at the Centre for Social Work, explains that foster care plays a crucial role in supporting children while working towards securing their best possible future.
“When a child is removed from their biological family, the primary goal is reunification," she says. The main goal is to ensure that all children have a stable family environment where they feel safe and secure, experience emotional warmth, and have their developmental needs met.
"If, after a certain period, this is not possible, legal proceedings may begin to terminate parental rights, opening the possibility for adoption. Foster care is an essential step in this process, providing children with a stable, loving home while their future is decided,” Marija says.
Ljilja Vucetic, a foster care advisor at the Centre for Family Placement and Adoption, has supported the Djelic family since their very first days as foster parents. She remains a regular presence in Beba and Ruska’s lives. As a rule, she says, foster families receive direct, continuous support through the Centres for Family Placement and Adoption, as well as advisors, available almost 24/7, who provide guidance, counselling, and supervision.
To provide the best support for children, both foster parents and professionals need knowledge, skills, and proper training. That’s why UNICEF, in 2024, supported the development of training programs for professionals and foster care candidates called “Family Tailored to the Child”. These programs were implemented as part of the “PRO – Local Governance for People and Nature” program and carried out by UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNEP, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia, with financial support from the Government of Switzerland.
Through this initiative, more than 100 representatives from Centres for Family Placement and Adoption and Centres for Social Work participated in specialized training. Additionally, foster families received targeted training to help them provide the best care possible for children.
“We aim to strengthen and support foster families so they can provide specialized care and ensure children grow up in a family environment rather than in institutions,” says Ljilja.
Foster parents do everything a biological parent does, but have additional responsibilities too. In particular, foster parents help children overcome developmental challenges that may arise from their early experiences and provide the care and stability they need to heal. When a child is separated from their biological family, it is a significant loss. Foster parents support them through this transition, helping them process their emotions and build resilience.
Maintaining a child’s identity is also essential, which is why foster families encourage and facilitate contact with parents and relatives whenever it is in the child's best interest.
For those considering becoming foster parents, Valentina has words of encouragement.
"Anyone who has the means and a love for children should consider becoming a foster parent. The children who come into foster families long for love and, in turn, give so much love,” she says.
Ensuring that every child has a happy and safe childhood is a responsibility we all share, says Ranko.
“I want to encourage compassionate people to bring happiness to children, as foster care is a truly humane act. We can help these children grow up in a peaceful environment, support them in staying healthy, finishing school, and one day becoming independent individuals,” he says.
