Red tape ruins caring

SIR – You reported on the need for more foster carers (T&A, May 17). More people would foster, but there is so much red tape around it now that it strangles you. Watching the soaps on television is proof of that. While for obvious reasons strict background checks have to be made, it can be very intrusive and off-putting, even though the support is often out there. Most foster carers would prefer as young a child as possible because older children have already grown up and cannot be moulded or influenced as you would your own child. If they have been in and out of care all their lives, this will often have a negative effect on their personality. I considered fostering myself a few years ago, but this was a problem I did not want to be faced with. While it can be rewarding, fostering can also be very hard work.