FOSTER parents across Gwent do an amazing job. ANDY DOYLE and BEN PAYNE met three remarkable parents who have transformed youngsters' lives.

DONNA BISHOP was a 14-year-old mum-of-one without a home when she first met foster carer Diane Williams.

Seven years later they are still living under the same roof in Pontypool and are as close as any family could be.

Donna was just 13 when she became pregnant. She said the initial shock hit her hard.

"When I found out I was pregnant I didn't know what on earth I was going to do at first," she said.

But she said there was no question of not going through with the pregnancy.

"It felt like the right thing" after I decided I didn't think about it anymore, that's how it was.

"I came from a big family and had a lot of experience with babies."

But when her son Jordan was just nine months old, she felt she had to walk out of her mother's home in Merthyr.

That eventually led her to the home of Diane Williams in 2000.

Mother-of-one Diane and husband Gareth have fostered around 40 youngsters since 1999.

At the moment there are five other youngsters sharing the house, along with Donna and Jordan.

"She didn't like me when she first came," laughed Diane, 59, from Tranch.

But pretty soon the pair formed a strong bond based on mutual respect.

"She's a marvellous mum, I told her she was much better at it than me," said Diane.

"Despite her age she was a complete natural and knew just how to look after Jordan."

The couple had to negotiate with Merthyr Tydfil council to keep Donna and Jordan under their roof, so the young mum could finish her education.

She is now studying childcare at Coleg Gwent.

Caring for others is a family affair

THERE are not many couples who can care for their five children and treat more than 100 others like their own.

But for Craig and Sian Adams, who have now fostered around 120 children in 14 years, having a house full is now the norm.

Mrs Adams, of Cornwallis Way, Monmouth, who is also a therapeutic councillor, said that their strong family life has seen them through. The couple have five children of their own, Kelly, 26, twins Sam and Emma, 23, Luke, 21, and Holly, eight.

"We wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of our children," she said. "This is not just about mum and dad, it's been thanks to the whole family that we have been able to care for others over the years.

"We've had to sacrifice things like wide-screen televisions and holidays abroad but whenever you get a call to care for a child there is an adrenalin buzz because you never know what you're going to get and what the issues are going to be.

"Our job has got harder - there are now more reports to fill out and a lot of our work is now at the sharp end. There have been times when you have difficult placements. We've had furniture wrecked and numerous trips to police stations.

"But we still enjoy it. It's very rewarding. It's such a lovely feeling when one of the children is adopted or they go back with their parents and then later on they stop you in the street and say thanks."

Mr and Mrs Adams, both aged 47, who worked for Monmouthshire council for 14 years are now being assessed for work through a private agency.

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BECOMING A FOSTER PARENT FOSTER workers get paid a weekly allowance for each child to cover things like clothing and food.

As a foster carer, people look after someone else's child in their own home.

Children may need to be fostered for different reasons; their parents may be ill, in prison or having relationship problems.

Training is provided and people need a medical examination and a police record check. There is also a six-month long assessment.

Click on your area for fostering information from your council:

Newport
Caerphilly
Torfaen
Blaenau Gwent
Monmouthshire