Fostering is just a fantastic career (From This Is Wiltshire)

FOR Jim Humphries, working with foster children brings him far more joy than working with cold, hard machinery.

Jim, of Shrivenham, previously worked in machine maintenance but with the support of his wife Dawn, son Daniel, 18, and daughter Bethany, 15, he decided to change his career completely and became a foster carer with Core Assets Fostering.

Now the foster care agency is launching its Spring Foster a Rewarding Career campaign across the county after figures released by the Fostering Network last week indicated the shortfall of foster carers across the UK is now at 9,000, including 7,350 in England.

The 50-year-old, who began fostering with Core Assets last year, said: “I used to work with machines and metal, but now I work with people whose main priority is the welfare of children.

“I’ve drawn on the experience of bringing up my own children in order to foster.

“My wife Dawn and I have always wanted to help a child have positive life experiences, but we wanted to wait until we felt our children were old enough and ready for fostering too.

“My teenage children do a fantastic job supporting us and act as great role models to the young people we look after.

“You have to be patient to foster, have a good sense of humour and the ability to communicate with people from all walks of life, from children and birth parents, to social workers and school teachers.

“Not everyone is right for fostering but until you take the time to go through the application process and meet other foster carers, you’ll never know.”

Working with Core Assets Fostering, Jim and Dawn benefit from 24-hour support, on-going training and regular carer forums.

Jim said: “I am treated as a professional foster carer with Core Assets.

“The training is good and the out-of-hours support is brilliant.

“I have no regrets about becoming a foster carer. There can be challenges in fostering, but seeing a young person have positive experiences is so rewarding, and you realise you’re really making a difference.”

Calll Core Assets Fostering Freephone on 0800 023 4561 or visit www.iwanttofoster.com.