DEDICATED adults throughout Worcestershire are being urged to come forward and change the life of a child.

There are currently 43 children in the county in desperate need of a foster home.

One Worcester couple, who took the plunge into long-term fostering, have found it a tremendously rewarding experience.

"It has changed our life, really," said the 35-year-old from St John's, who asked not to be named.

She and her 47-year-old husband have two children on long-term foster placements.

"It is so much more rewarding than we thought it would be," she added.

"The reason that we went into it is because we both had brilliant childhoods and we wanted to help out children that hadn't had that opportunity."

People interested in fostering or adoption can be single, married or living together.

"What they have is the time, energy, or understanding to care for children who need the security of a new family," said Debbie Key, team manager of the county council's recruiting and training team.

Long-term fosterers, who have looked after vulnerable children in Worcestershire for more than 10 years, have been congratulated by the county council with an awards evening.

"It's wonderful to be able to show our appreciation of our foster carers in this way," said Ms Key.

"We were especially pleased to have been joined by Barbara Ryland, who has been fostering for Worcestershire for over 40 years."

An Adoption and Fostering Shop, in Riverside Shopping Centre, Evesham, will be manned by foster carers and social workers throughout this week's National Adoption Week.

An information drop-in, at Kidderminster Library on Saturday between 10am and 1pm, will round off the week.