Working life: Catherine Bond, CEO, Irish Foster Care Association.

6.30am

Foster care has been in the headlines a lot recently and as the representative body for foster care in Ireland, I need to be ready to respond to media queries.

Over breakfast, I work through emails and catch up on some research. I also enjoy a few minutes of quiet reflection.

8am

I head for the M50, hoping for a reasonable journey time from home in Co Meath to the office in Tallaght. I have three adult sons so I’m not rushing to get anyone out in the morning.

9am

Much of my day is taken up with scheduled meetings. Sometimes the focus of the meetings are concerns raised by members when they contact our national support helpline.

Queries to the helpline can range from ‘how do I become a foster carer?’ to “I’ve had an allegation of abuse made against me”.

The helpline is essentially the pulse of fostering nationally. It provides practical information and support.

11am

I meet the management team to discuss our strategic plan. We have more than 1,600 members and key to what we do is providing information, support and learning opportunities, based on best practice, for all those in foster care.

Noon

I have an external meeting with Tusla. We regularly brief Tusla on the experiences of our members and trends arising in local Tusla areas. We discuss positive solutions to improve foster care.

We seek to influence policy and legislation by making sure the Irish Foster Care Association has a presence within government and in the non-government sector.

After lunch

Our annual conference takes place in October so specific meetings are held to plan for it. It’s an opportunity for the fostering community to come together and share experiences and to hear what’s happening in terms of best practice and research.

Unique to this is the Children’s Programme, a dedicated programme of activities for children in foster care and birth children.

4pm

I have papers to prepare for a board meeting, and emails to respond to, before leaving the office about 6.30pm to head home for family dinner.

Weather permitting, I go for a walk in the evening before settling down to read research articles for my doctoral research.