Every child has the right to a good start in life – this is why Sue and Dave and their family decided to become foster carers.

It was their daughter Emma’s idea, after she came home from school talking about children in her class living with foster carers, and so began their journey into fostering.

Foster4 foster carers Sue and Dave have involved their children every step of the way believing that “the whole family fosters” and the couple’s children Emma and Sam were on board with the plan before their parents.

Foster care fortnight is happening all over the country between May 10 and May 23 with this year’s theme focusing on why people care - #whywecare.

Around 450 households have taken on the worthwhile role in their local authorities in Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington, feeling motivated to care with fostering becoming more accessible than ever.

Sue said: “We foster because we feel it should be every child’s right to have a good start in life.

“It was our daughter who came home one day and said there were a few children in her class who lived with foster carers and asked if we could do it too.

“So, the saying of ‘the whole family fosters’ was very true for us right from the beginning.

“You’re a long time an adult - childhood is so precious and sadly many children don’t have positive experiences.

“When their lives get to a point where they need foster care - their world has often already become a scary place.

“We are a close, trustworthy, non-judgemental, happy family, who like to have lots of fun, so we knew we had lots to offer, and really could help to make those childhoods safe and hopefully, that little bit magical.”

Sue and Dave know that parenting can often be challenging, especially in the current climate in the midst of a global pandemic, and they often foster children and young people whose parents aren’t able to safely care for them and need time to seek support to get back on track.

The couple help each child maintain contact with their family where appropriate, to keep the bonds strong, and they may then go back to their parents or wider family once situations have been worked through.

When this isn’t possible, Sue and Dave will work with children’s services and support them to move on to adoption or a permanent foster family.

Dave said: “All of these scenarios have been some of our proudest moments.

“We do all kinds of fostering - emergency, short term and permanent - for children and young people of all ages.

“We welcomed two children into our family permanently eight years and two years ago respectively.

“We’ve learned so much from them, their tenacity and resilience, and just the wonderful humans they are, really makes us so proud.”

For more information visit www.foster4.co.uk or call 01925 444100.

You can also email fosteringrecruitment@warrington.gov.uk or use @foster4cheshire on Facebook and Instagram.

Become a foster carer information session

The next virtual ‘become a foster carer information session’ is taking place on Wednesday, June 2 with two Foster4 team members – Laura and Jo – on hand to provide help and advice about becoming a foster carer.

They will provide a welcome introduction to fostering at 12.30pm discussing training and support as well as all the benefits.

After the session, if you’re ready, you will be able to complete an expression of interest form which is the next step on the journey to fostering.

Next week sees the launch of Foster4’s new 3 Ways Strategy, which aims to further engage the public by explaining more about the service and providing three distinct ways that you can get involved and support local children and young people, even if fostering isn’t right for you now.

To register for the virtual sessions visit www.foster4.co.uk/info-sessions and you will be emailed a link to join.

The next session will be at 12.30pm on Wednesday, June 2.