Real life examples of carers and the children they care for.
There's not one typical type of carer - carers come from varied backgrounds, with different lifestyles and care for children of varied ages with a range of needs. What all our carers do share, though, is a commitment to providing a safe and loving environment for children to grow and develop.
I was a befriender for four years and I'm now a full-time foster carer. Over the past seven years I've fostered 12 children and I'm currently the carer of two boys, aged 13 and 15. I don't provide the traditional family environment but this is still a home and together we act as a family.
Before fostering, I ran my own marketing company. I used to get a big buzz out of going to London, making a pitch and winning new business. But watching one of the boys playing football and beating the other team 9-0 is a much bigger buzz because it's something that’s real.
A lot of kids don't have men in their lives and I think male carers can offer contact with a guy who can act as a positive role model. It's about going along to watch them play football and making sure they do their homework and, if you give kids boundaries, you'll see them do so well and that is tremendously satisfying.
My first foster placement was five years ago and they were three-year old twins. I then started to look after their younger sister and I've now permanently fostered all three of them. I also have two children of my own aged 20 and 14.
I gave up my job in an office to dedicate my time to being a foster carer and I've never looked back. My own children have accepted the kids into the family and they treat them as their brothers and sisters. The kids come on holiday with us and we do normal things that every family does.
It's amazing to see how they've come on since they came to live with us, even friends and family remark that they can see the positive difference. They're growing up into articulate, confident young people who're doing well at school and although it's not always plain sailing, knowing that I've helped make that difference makes it worthwhile.
Myself and my wife Anne are joint carers and have looked after children for around seven years. Our own children are grown up and have left home. We look after three autistic boys aged 16, 15 and 11. We care for two through regular respite and the other lives permanently with us.
I was a school bus driver and made a connection with an autistic boy whose mother enquired about me befriending him through the Council. I started as a befriender, then share the carer and then I moved onto specialist disability foster care.
None of the boys we care for speak and two have epilepsy too so it's certainly a challenge. The worst thing is not knowing what's wrong when they're upset – they could be physically sore or something out of routine could have unsettled them, but it's the small things that make it worthwhile – a smile or a look let you know you're getting through to them and making a difference. And they encourage us to learn as a family too. We're learning signalong just now to help us communicate with the boys and even the grandchildren are joining in. Every minute of every day is special with a child with disabilities. It's not easy, but it's worth it.