A West Sussex foster carer is urging people to get involved with foster caring Andy and his wife have been fostering for over five years, looking after a range of children from three to 12 years old.

The couple started foster caring after their own children left home, thinking that it might be an interesting thing to do.

Andy said: “It gives you a warm feeling to see a child develop and grow in confidence and to just generally bloom because they are in a safe and stable home.

“It's the kind of feeling that money just can't buy and it always seems to come along at just the right time.

”There are many kinds of fostering, from short term to long term placements for children and young people across all age ranges.

“Fostering can be difficult. The children may be challenging, but often the most challenging children bring the greatest rewards when they start to flourish.

“They have been through a lot and have a lot of emotions to cope with, and they will react in different ways but you can get past that. When you do, you realise that's why you foster."

West Sussex County Council is particularly looking for foster carers who are able to provide homes to older children and teenagers.

Members of the fostering team will be on hand to talk about what being a foster carer involves and will be able to answer your questions.

Peter Evans, County Council Cabinet Member for Children-Start of Life, said: “Deciding to foster isn't an easy decision to make - it changes your life completely, and that's why we want to make finding out about fostering as easy as possible."

An information drop-in event will be held at Chichester Library, Tower Street, Chichester, PO19 1QJ, on Thursday 12 June (10am to 4pm) for anyone who is interested in fostering.

Mr. Evans added: “I would urge anyone who may be thinking about fostering to pop along and find out more.”