I went from a mum-of-3 to a mum-of-17 in 6 years – folk say it’s impossible, it’s not, but our food bill DOES costs £14K
A MUM-of-three has revealed how she became a mum-of-17 in just six years.
Kelly Green, 39, and her husband Timothy, 44, added 14 children to their family in just a short amount of time and explained how their food bill has sky-rocketed.
Just six years ago they had three biological kids – Morgan, 22, Braylon, 18, and Slayton, 16.
But in 2019 they began fostering – welcoming 129 children – of which they adopted 14 girls and boys as their own.
Now the couple spend over £14,000 on groceries a year but they wouldn’t change it for the world.
The pair have Amber, 23, Kayla, 22, Morgan, 22, Autumn, 18, Narly, 17, Kenneth, 16, Emma, 16, Nevaeh, 16, David, 13, Ryli, 12, Charlie, eight, Lucas, five, McKinley, three, Chance, two.
Kelly will spend around £1,300 a month on food and shop at three different stores to get everything she needs at a good price.
The mum has an early start every day getting up at 5:45am to get all of the kids dropped off at different schools and running the family.
Kelly and Timothy wanted to support young children but have stopped since they became grandparents.
Kelly, a stay-at-home mum from Summerville, North Carolina, said: “Six years ago we were a family of five.
“In 2019, we decided to foster. We learned there were so many kids out there who don’t have a parental figure.
“In total, we have fostered 129 children and adopted 14 of them who are all living at home.
“The main thing is being organised. If my house gets a little unorganised – life gets chaotic.”
Kelly first adopted a set of siblings in 2021 and most recently adopted Chance, two, in May 2024.
Kelly said: “We said that we didn’t want to adopt but the children we were fostering were family and already calling us mom and dad.”
Kelly’s day starts around 5:45am before she wakes up her children who go to elementary school.
How to foster in the UK
Fostering is a significant commitment, but it can make a profound difference in the lives of children who need a stable and caring environment. If you’re interested, reach out to local fostering agencies or your local authority to begin the journey.
Research and Consideration:
Understand Fostering: Familiarise yourself with what fostering entails, the types of fostering available (e.g., short-term, long-term, respite care), and the responsibilities involved.
Assess Suitability: Reflect on whether you have the time, patience, and resources to commit to fostering. It’s important to consider how it will impact your family and lifestyle.
Initial Enquiry:
Contact Agencies: Reach out to local authorities or independent fostering agencies. They can provide specific information and answer initial questions.
Attend Information Sessions: Many agencies offer information sessions where you can learn more about fostering and ask questions.
Application Process:
Expression of Interest: Submit an initial enquiry form or expression of interest to the chosen fostering agency.
Home Visit: A social worker will visit your home to discuss fostering in more detail and assess your suitability.
Formal Application: If you decide to proceed, you’ll fill out a formal application form.
Assessment and Training:
Assessment Process: A comprehensive assessment (Form F) will be conducted by a social worker. This includes multiple home visits, interviews, and checks (medical, criminal record, references).
Preparation Training: Attend preparation and training courses (often referred to as Skills to Foster). These courses cover essential topics such as child development, dealing with trauma, and fostering regulations.
Approval:
Fostering Panel: Your assessment report will be presented to a fostering panel, which will make a recommendation on your suitability to foster.
Approval Decision: The decision to approve you as a foster carer is made by the agency’s decision-maker based on the panel’s recommendation.
Matching and Placement:
Matching Process: Once approved, the agency will work to match you with a child or children who need foster care. The matching process considers your skills, experience, and preferences.
Placement: When a suitable match is found, the child will be placed with you. You’ll receive ongoing support and supervision from your fostering agency.
Ongoing Support and Training:
Continuous Support: Foster carers receive regular support from social workers, including home visits, phone calls, and access to support groups.
Further Training: Ongoing training opportunities are provided to help you develop your skills and knowledge as a foster carer.
Financial Support:
Allowances and Fees: Foster carers receive a fostering allowance to cover the cost of caring for a child. Some may also receive a fee for their work, depending on the agency and type of fostering.
Review and Development:
Annual Reviews: Your fostering arrangement will be reviewed annually to ensure everything is going well and to discuss any support or training needs.
Kelly said: “I feel like our house runs smoothly if we stick to our schedule.
“A lot of parents ask how I manage this every single day, but honestly, I do the same thing Monday to Friday.
“My schedule is exactly the same every day.”
When it comes to the food shop, Kelly goes to Walmart, Aldi and commissary on the local army base.
She said: “I do my food shopping every Sunday. I make a list of what is on the menu for the week.
“I stick to that and it helps me budget for the week.
“People will ask how much I go through every day and it honestly depends.
“Some days we can go two to three days a week on a gallon of milk and then one day we can go through a gallon in a day.
“It depends on the type of week we are having.”
Kelly's daily routine:
5:45am – wake up
6:50 – Take elementary children to school
8am: Take youngest children to their play group
9am: Middle school, High School at school
1pm: Pick the youngest children up from play group
1:50pm: Pick up elementary children from school
4pm: All children home and start dinner
5:30pm: Supper is over
7-7:30pm: Nightly clean up
7:30pm: Bath time
8-8:30pm: Toddlers and elementary children bedtime
9pm: Middle school bedtime
10pm: High school bedtime
10:30pm – Bedtime for Kerry
Kelly and Timothy stopped adopting children after welcoming their first grandchild in January 2024.
She said: “We made the promise to our children that, when our kids start having children, we would stop.
“We want to be able to be there for our children and their grandchildren.
“We have a child who is preparing to get married next year, we didn’t want to add to our family during that time either.