DEVON County Council (DCC) has been talking a lot about children in its care and care leavers, and about the support and guidance given to help young people. 

DCC has also talked about the vital role that its foster carers have in providing safe and loving homes for children and young people in their care.

But they have not yet talked about the pivotal role that foster carers’ own children have in helping to make foster families work well.

October is “Children of Foster Carers” month, an annual campaign by The Fostering Network to acknowledge and celebrate the vital contribution that children of foster carers make to their families.

Michelle, a foster carer for DCC’s Fostering Devon service, said: “Both our children have been brought up surrounded by fostering.

“My daughter is amazing and will act as she has seen me act. 

“My youngest child is very similar, but loves to just be a sibling and play with them, however, he notices when they are sad and can respond in a way many children couldn’t.

“When asked, both children said that the children we look after are part of our family, and we love them like we do each other. 

“They admitted some days were hard, however none of us would change it for the world.”

You can read the full story at: //www.devon.gov.uk/news/lets-talk-about-the-children/ .