Dear Madam Deputy Mayor,
Dear colleagues,
It’s wonderful to be here with you today. Looking around this room, I see a community of people who have opened their hearts to children in need. Your work—your dedication to these children—is nothing short of extraordinary.
Being a professional parental assistant is not just a job; it is a calling. It’s about stepping in when a child’s world has been turned upside down and helping set it right again by offering stability, understanding, and a fresh start. And in doing so, you don’t just change their lives—you change yours as well.
For some, life might feel like it has lost its spark. The daily routines, the passing years—they can sometimes leave us questioning our purpose. But when you become a foster parent, you find that purpose again. You find it in the small moments: a child’s tentative trust, their first smile in weeks, the way they slowly start to believe in themselves because someone believes in them. These moments remind us of the power of human connection—and they remind us of our own capacity to make a difference.
Foster care is not easy. The children who come into your homes carry the weight of abandonment, trauma, and hardship. They are not blank slates waiting for a fresh start; they are complex, resilient, and deeply human. They challenge us to see beyond the surface and meet them where they are. And in meeting them, we often rediscover parts of ourselves—our patience, our empathy, our strength.
As foster parents, you don’t just change their story; you rewrite it. The connections formed in a child’s brain during the first 1000 days of life lay the foundation for their future self. These neuronal pathways, shaped by your care and interaction, are crucial, and during adolescence, the brain undergoes a pruning process to refine these connections based on experiences and environment. By providing a nurturing home, you help create and preserve the pathways that will always be there. You show them that their past does not have to define their future, and in doing so, you write a new chapter in your own story. A chapter filled with profound meaning.
UNICEF is here to support you in this noble mission. Since 2022, we’ve been supplementing salaries of more than 400 professional parental assistants and parent educators, as well as monthly allowances for more than 1000 children placed in family-based services. Despite all challenges UNICEF will prioritize assistance to strengthen and develop family-based services.
We know support isn’t just financial. It’s emotional, too. That’s why we’re committed to strengthening therapeutic programs for children with complex needs, ensuring they get the care they deserve. And it’s why gatherings like this one are so important—to share, to connect, to remind each other that you’re not alone.
As we approach the winter holiday season, let us remember that the greatest gift we can give is not wrapped in paper or tied with a bow. It’s the gift of a home, of belonging, of a second chance.
For every child who finds safety and love in your homes, a new story begins—for them, and for you.
