Appeal launched for more foster carers in Cumbria

There's an appeal for more foster carers in Cumbria as over 700 kids in the county sit in the care system.

Anyone who signs up to be a foster could be asked to house a child for a period of time to help support them and develop them.

Helen Cole and Dave Elliott, from Carlisle, are long term foster carers for a young man, aged 13. Dave, who used to work for Cumbria’s Fire Service, said the biggest reward is "seeing the fantastic young man he is today, compared to when he first walked through the door".

His partner Helen agreed: “He’s a totally different young man now. He’s just started Year 8 and he is in the top set for every class. It’s very rewarding and just lovely to see him grow into that kind of young man.”

Kath Lamb, also from Carlisle, is a long term foster carer for three children, alongside husband Graham. She said: “The most rewarding part for me? I think it’s the extended family. We’ve got a sibling group of three with us now, and we’ve got three children of our own who are now adults. They were teenagers when the children came to live with us and for them it was a pretty daunting experience. But I definitely think it moulded them into the adults they are now because they saw children from others backgrounds, other lifestyles.”

For those interested fostering events begin this Wednesday.