Foster carers for 18 years ‘will never look back’

A couple who have been fostering for 18 years say they will “never look back” on what they describe as a “perfect life”.

Dianne Bynes, 58, and Brian Bynes, 68, of Sawtry, Cambridgeshire, first set out to foster a child when their six-year-old daughter Emma asked for a sibling.

Mrs Binns said that it was “not for a minute” that she had predicted that they would be looking after the children continuously for almost two decades.

Peterborough City Council said it urgently needed to sign up more foster carers so children could stay in a family home.

There are 81 families working in the authority’s foster care service, but it says there are 148 children in its care who are unable to live with their birth parents.

Cambridgeshire County Council also said it was seeing a shortage of foster carers, with many children waiting for a home in the county.

Across eastern England, there are around 7,000 children in care, with the equivalent of a class of children coming into care every week.

Mr. and Mrs. Bynes first considered parenting in 2006 when they brought their daughter to see a pantomime.

“It made us think that there are many children who are not as fortunate as our daughter,” Mrs Binns said.

They talked as a family and decided to start the application process.

Their daughter Emma, ​​now 24, was “really excited” about the prospect of having a sibling.

“Although she was a bit disappointed when she first arrived and wasn’t called Snow White,” Mrs Binns joked.

The application process included asking questions about family and their working life, as well as courses and testing to ensure they were ready to join.

“Di had a twinkle in her eye when she was doing it, she was really hooked,” Mr Binns said.

He described his main job as “taxi driver”, adding: “That kind of stuff, you know, taking kids here, there and everywhere.”

The couple admit that there have been challenges and said that their motto is to “always expect the unexpected”.

There have been unstable children, she said, a non-verbal child with a difficult background who may become angry, or simply times when children are sad after meeting their birth parents.

“They’re really quite sad when they come back,” Mrs Binns said.

“But McDonald’s usually helps with things like this to make them happy.”

She described the council’s support as “incredible” and said she never felt she needed to deal with issues alone.

Mrs Binns said: “I’ll never look back, it’s just worked out – it’s our perfect life.”

All foster parents receive a weekly allowance of around £165 and up to £289 per week to cover the costs of care, but can be higher depending on the age of the child and the experience level of the foster carer.

Parents are also eligible for tax relief and other allowances including holidays, birthdays, travel or the cost of purchasing baby equipment or furniture.

Katy Cole, councilor and cabinet member for children’s services at Peterborough City Council, said: “Fostering is an incredible way to make a lasting difference to a child’s life, giving them the stability, care and experience of a loving family home. Provides an opportunity to.

“By opening your heart and home, you provide more than shelter – you provide hope, safety, and a chance for a brighter future.”