Life After Retirement
How Ex-Police Officer Robert Morgan Found Purpose in Fostering
After more than two decades in the MET and nearly a decade working in community support, Robert Morgan never imagined he would one day become a foster carer. Yet, looking back, every step of his journey, from serving on the front line to mentoring young people, prepared him for the life-changing role he now shares with his wife, Ann.
“I never set out to foster,” Robert reflects. “When I left the MET, it wouldn’t have occurred to me. But after retirement, I worked for the local authority in a deprived community and began mentoring young people, helping at youth clubs, and organising community events. That changed my perspective – I saw how many children need help and how rewarding it is to be part of their lives”.
Robert’s 23 years in the police exposed him to families in crisis. “You meet parents affected by addiction, crime, and hardship. It gives you perspective. In fostering, when you care for a child whose parent might be in prison or struggling with substance misuse, you understand that those parents aren’t bad people – they’re victims of circumstance. That empathy makes a real difference”.
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He also sees many similarities between policing and fostering. “Decision-making is a huge transferable skill,” he explains. “In the police, you make calls under pressure – at three in the morning, in the rain, when everyone’s tired. Fostering’s the same. It’s about doing what’s right for the child
“The reward? It’s far greater than anything I’ve experienced before”
in front of you”. Robert and Ann have now fostered more than ten children, from babies to school-age. Their home, he says, is “as busy and intense as any police shift,” filled with laughter, challenges, and deep connection.
“In the police, you dip in and out of people’s lives during moments of crisis. In fostering, you walk alongside them for months, years, maybe forever. The gift you give a child – stability, love, and belonging – can last a lifetime.”
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