Could you help a child learn to trust again? Barnardo’s appeal for fosterers in Leeds as more children are placed in care.

Nationally, the figure of children in care is approaching 80,000.

A new Barnardo’s survey reveals that 84 percent of their foster carers say they do so because they want to make a difference to the lives of such children. 

Caroline Earl, 60, from Armley, has fostered a boy with Barnardo’s for seven years. 

She said: “Fostering is not like any other job. You don’t go home at 5 o’clock and forget all about it. I’ve always liked a family atmosphere, and the best thing is seeing someone change and grow and become part of your family. 

“You know you are making a difference when you realise a child trusts you to be there and do the basic things, when maybe they’ve never had that trust in an adult before.

“For a child to know you aren’t going to reject them as they’ve been rejected in the past – that’s when you feel you’ve turned a corner.”

To those who might consider fostering, but have qualms, Caroline advises that if you have love to give a child then you can do this. With around 78,150 children in care, Barnardo’s has urgent need of fosterers.

Steve Oversby, director of Barnardo’s North, said: “Fostering changes children’s lives. Foster carers give children the care, love and hope they need to recover from past trauma and achieve a positive future.

“We support our foster carers throughout with training, opportunities to connect with others, and advice.” To become a foster carer, you need to be aged 21 or over, have a spare bedroom, and time and commitment to give to a child or young person. Find out more at www.barnardos.org.uk/fostering-week or call 0800 0277 280.