A 25-year-old Newham man is calling on residents from the borough to consider fostering after having a “very positive experience”.
Imran Quayes, who’s a professional photographer and videographer from Manor Park in Newham, went into foster care at the age of 9. He said: “one thing about my story is I chose to go into foster care. I realised I wasn’t in an environment that was safe and I needed to escape. I would have ended up down a very different path. I don’t think it would be a very positive path if I hadn’t gone into foster care, if I hadn’t had the support, and care and affection from my foster carers and the belief to be better than just a statistic you see in a newspaper.”
Imran wants to ensure anyone who’s ever considered fostering thinks about the powerful impact on children and young people, which he believes can shape their future. He feels the overarching requirements are simple. Imran said: “be empathetic and kind. Kids need kindness because you never know, one sentence or one action could massively impact and change their life. He added: “if they have even one positive influence on their life, by just giving them support, a shoulder to cry on, self-belief and confidence, they can do whatever they want in life – and the rest is history.”
The photographer left care in March 2026 but still feels supported by Newham Council. He said: “I still have great relationships with many of the members of the leaving care team. In terms of employment as well, I’ve been doing a lot of regular events with Newham Council as their event photographer so that’s been massive for my career.”
In January 2026, Newham’s children’s services were rated outstanding in all areas, with inspectors noting that “children receive an outstanding service from workers” and “foster carers receive excellent support”. That recognition is something Imran can both appreciate and resonate with, largely due to the ongoing support provided. He said: “I was the first foster child for my foster carers so I also got to see them grow as foster carers, foster new children, they even won an award for it. A lot of that was just through training but also just having a group of other foster carers. He added: “you have the excellent leaving care staff. There’s a lot of passion that goes into looking after these kids, because that’s what you need, you need kindness and passion and empathy, so I think that’s the key thing that stands out for me.”
Newham’s benefits package for foster carers is generous. It includes up to around £870 per week; 24-hour support; 100% Council Tax exemption, as well as other benefits. For those who refer someone who goes on to become an approved foster carer and accepts their first placement, they will receive £1,000 as a token of appreciation.
For anyone who would like more information about fostering, including from dedicated online and in-person sessions, please visit: www.newham.gov.uk/fostering. You can also watch those from Newham's children's service explain what takes place behind the scenes to ensure the experiences and progress of children in care is always outstanding.
You can follow Imran on Instagram: @iqvisuals_ and access Imran’s professional photography services here: iqvisuals.uk
