TWENTY six children in Bradford are currently seeking a long term or permanent foster family.

To help them in their quest, Bradford Council is launching a campaign this month to find new foster carers, in particular those who are interested in fostering older children and siblings.

Libby and Barry Barrett, from Shipley, have been fostering for 22 years. The couple started fostering before having their own children now aged 18, 14 and nine.

Libby, who had worked as a nanny in London, and Barry spotted Bradford Council were advertising for foster carers and decided to find out more.

During the time they've been fostering they have cared for 19 children, many who have been on longer term placements. They are currently looking after a 10-year-old boy.

Libby says they have always looked after older children. The first child they fostered was 10 years old and he stayed with them for two years. After that, they fostered a young sibling group of three who stayed with Libby and Barry for two years before being adopted. Throughout their fostering career, the couple have fostered several older children who have stayed with them until they were 18. Many still stay in touch.

"You are watching them grow up and as they get older they are becoming their own person, they develop into the person they are supposed to be because they have been given this chance," explains Libby.

For Libby, fostering school age children means she and Barry can offer a long term commitment to help them grow and develop through to adulthood.

"They still need love and caring for even when they are older," says Libby.

"They still need to know they are safe and that they are wanted - that someone is always there for them."

But it isn't all plain sailing. They do have to cope with some challenging behaviour as well as juggling school runs, medical, education, social care appointments, after school activities and a busy home life but they find they can manage whatever situation arises, however awkward or difficult.

Being a single male, Chris proves you don't have to be female or a family to foster. "It's not one size fits all. There are different children out there with different needs. Some of them, for various reasons, don't want to be placed with a family or with a female. They are few and far between but there are," he explains.

Chris was approached to become a foster carer after initially caring for older children through the Stepping Stones project which he saw advertised on the back of a bus! "It was asking if you could give a teenager a room in your house. Because I have always had teenagers in the family and always enjoyed their company I thought I'd look into it," recalls Chris.

An interview and training followed before he became a supported lodgings provider. "Then two or three years after that one of the social workers asked me out of the blue if I had thought about fostering. I burst out laughing and said 'me?' She said I would be fantastic at it.

"The more I thought about it it was one of those life-changing moments. I knew my job was coming to an end and it was 'what do I do next?' It was like someone was saying 'do this.'

The 56-year-old has looked after seven children from eight to 17 since becoming a foster carer eight years ago. He also cares for a 25-year-old through the supported lodgings scheme.

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He says becoming a foster carer has made him more 'philosophical.' "With the training and everything you do it definitely changes your opinion about things. You start to see the other side of the coin and you understand why some children are vulnerable. They do need that extra support, it's not just a case of 'pull yourself together.'

Chris enjoys being a listening ear to the young people when they want to get something off their chest. One of the most satisfying achievements he gets through his rewarding role is seeing the young people mature and start to take responsibility for themselves.

His advice to anyone wanting to become a foster carer is: "They need to be patient, they need to be adaptable because there will be challenges."

Patsy Burrows, the fostering service manager, said: “Foster carers do a fantastic job, helping to protect, support and care for some of our most disadvantaged children and young people, giving them a positive experience of family life.

"One of our biggest challenges is recruiting a diverse range of people who want to look after sibling groups and older children; without enough local foster families, children face living far away from their family, friends and school - and in some cases, being separated from their siblings. Fostering for Bradford Council helps ensure that these children remain in and are cared for in the Bradford district, cementing links with their local community and providing stability at a time of massive upheaval.”

Anyone interested in fostering older children and teenagers can call the recruitment line on (01274) 434331 or email: adoptionfostering@bradford.gov.uk to receive an information pack. Alternatively, they can visit bradford.gov.uk/fostering