A FOSTER carer couple are highlighting their own experience as part of Foster Care Fortnight to encourage more people across Gloucestershire to foster.

Jayne Bunn, 46, and husband Charlie, 48, of Gloucester, have been foster carers with Fostering Solutions for three years. They currently foster a seven year old boy with complex needs.

Foster Care Fortnight runs from June 1 to 14 to raise awareness of fostering and encourage interested people to make the commitment.

Jayne said: “We had a close friend who was in foster care himself as a child so we knew about the significance of fostering for a long time.

“Our friend sadly passed away from cancer at the age of 40 and, around the same time, we saw an advert for Fostering Solutions.

“We had no idea how suitable we were and had two teenagers of our own so thought this might work against us, but decided to look into being foster carers.

“Fostering was something we had discussed numerous times over the years, but it was important to us that our own children were ready and comfortable with opening our home up to a new child.

“But while it was hard at first, we learned to recognise behavioural patterns and he’s now very settled and happy with us. We have a great bond and it’s also there between my own children and him, plus the extended family. It all feels very natural now.”

Gloucestershire has a critical shortage of foster carers, with around 585 children in need of a safe and stable home.

If you would like to find out more about being a foster carer with Fostering Solutions or if you’re an existing foster carer who wishes to switch, visit www.fosteringsolutions.com or phone 0800 1601605.