Lesley Bourne is a middle school teacher, and a therapeutic foster parent with over twelve years of experience. She became a foster parent because she saw how important a loving, nurturing, supportive, structured home could be to help children grow, develop and thrive. For her, it was a calling she had from the age of 10 when she first realized that not all children had a safe, caring, loving home. As a foster parent, she partners with biological parents, caseworkers and the support team to help families heal, grow, and reunite whenever possible. For her, fostering is about teamwork, providing stability for children, while encouraging and supporting families as they work towards a stronger healthier future with their children.