A FOSTER carer who was adopted is determined to repay the kindness of those who gave him a loving home as a child.

Tony Wilson, of Powick, near Worcester, and wife Chloe, have welcomed five other children into their home over the past two years since deciding to give up the financial services business they ran together and take up fostering.

The couple are now urging others to follow in their footsteps as part of Foster Care Fortnight which started on Monday.

Nationally, there is an estimated shortage of 9,000 foster carers needed to look after children in care.

The couple have cared for five foster children since 2011 as well as looking after their own children, Lewis, aged 13 and Daisy, eight.

Mrs Wilson, 38, is now a full-time carer with the Orange Grove Fostercare agency while Mr Wilson, 45, combines his role as her support carer with his new occupation as a plumber.

He said: “I was adopted when I was five weeks old so when we had the opportunity to open our home to other children in need of a place to live and be cared for, we jumped at the chance.” Mrs Wilson said: “Currently there is a shortage of foster carers across the country yet there are people out there who may not realise that they can become foster carers and we hope that people are inspired by our story.

“I think many people don’t realise that they can foster because they are either single, older or in same-sex relationships. People assume these are barriers – they are not.”

A career in foster care offers many benefits including competitive rates of pay and flexible working.

For more information, call Orange Grove on 0300 3038304 or visit OrangeGroveFoster care.com.

l Worcestershire County Council’s fostering service has launched a new film to tie in with Foster Care Fortnight.

Fostering: Get in the Frame can be viewed at http:// alturl.com/tyf37. For more information about fostering in Worcestershire, call 0800 0282158 or e-mail cs-adoption&fostering@worcestershire.gov.uk.