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| 'My foster parents gave me a forever home' | 'My foster parents gave me a forever home' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Owen said Dianne and Charles Hubbert made him feel so welcome in their Croxteth home | Owen said Dianne and Charles Hubbert made him feel so welcome in their Croxteth home |
| A man who was fostered as a teenager has said his foster parents gave him a "loving and forever home" for six months, when he was only meant to stay for two weeks. | A man who was fostered as a teenager has said his foster parents gave him a "loving and forever home" for six months, when he was only meant to stay for two weeks. |
| Owen said Liverpool couple Charles and Dianne Hubbert "loved him" and created a nurturing atmosphere at their Croxteth home which helped him grow in confidence. | |
| The 21-year-old said some other carers treat fostering "like a job" but being with the Hubberts never felt that way. | The 21-year-old said some other carers treat fostering "like a job" but being with the Hubberts never felt that way. |
| The couple, who have two of their own children, have fostered more than 50 children over 23 years. | The couple, who have two of their own children, have fostered more than 50 children over 23 years. |
| Owen initially came to the family for a fortnight just before Christmas but ended up staying for six months. | Owen initially came to the family for a fortnight just before Christmas but ended up staying for six months. |
| He celebrated his 18th birthday with the pair and has enjoyed being a close part of the family ever since. | He celebrated his 18th birthday with the pair and has enjoyed being a close part of the family ever since. |
| Charles and Dianne Hubbert spent decades offering short-term foster care to children | Charles and Dianne Hubbert spent decades offering short-term foster care to children |
| "Going through the care system, a lot of people treat it as a job but with Charlie and Dianne, in the first two weeks, I felt like I had been there forever," he said. | "Going through the care system, a lot of people treat it as a job but with Charlie and Dianne, in the first two weeks, I felt like I had been there forever," he said. |
| "It was friendly, welcoming and they loved me, seriously. | "It was friendly, welcoming and they loved me, seriously. |
| "My confidence was through the roof, it was just lovely, like a family home straight away". | "My confidence was through the roof, it was just lovely, like a family home straight away". |
| The couple were made MBEs in the New Year Honours list for their decades of helping others. | |
| 'Worth it' | 'Worth it' |
| The Hubberts, who retired from foster care with the charity Barnardo's in June last year, have provided short-term foster care for those with disabilities and complex needs for more than two decades. | The Hubberts, who retired from foster care with the charity Barnardo's in June last year, have provided short-term foster care for those with disabilities and complex needs for more than two decades. |
| Over their years of fostering they made adaptations to their home for children. | Over their years of fostering they made adaptations to their home for children. |
| Mr Hubbert said: "After school all the kids came here, the house has always been full of kids. | Mr Hubbert said: "After school all the kids came here, the house has always been full of kids. |
| "The families would tell us they would look forward to coming here and thank us." | "The families would tell us they would look forward to coming here and thank us." |
| Ms Hubbert said: "We've got lovely memories, the children were our children, they were part of our family. | Ms Hubbert said: "We've got lovely memories, the children were our children, they were part of our family. |
| "It wasn't easy, but it was always worth it". | "It wasn't easy, but it was always worth it". |
| She said fostering had a profoundly positive impact on their family. | She said fostering had a profoundly positive impact on their family. |
| "If anyone is considering fostering, I'd say go for it," she said. | "If anyone is considering fostering, I'd say go for it," she said. |
| "It's not an easy job, but it's very rewarding, and these kids desperately need places to stay. | "It's not an easy job, but it's very rewarding, and these kids desperately need places to stay. |
| "If you can help, why wouldn't you?" | "If you can help, why wouldn't you?" |
| But the Fostering Network estimates 760 children across the north-west of England are still urgently waiting for foster homes. | But the Fostering Network estimates 760 children across the north-west of England are still urgently waiting for foster homes. |
| Ofsted reported that the number of applications received from prospective fostering households in 2022 to 2023 was about 8,000 - 18% lower than in 2018 to 2019. | Ofsted reported that the number of applications received from prospective fostering households in 2022 to 2023 was about 8,000 - 18% lower than in 2018 to 2019. |
| Barnardo's said younger foster carers were urgently needed with the average age of people fostering through them being over 55. | Barnardo's said younger foster carers were urgently needed with the average age of people fostering through them being over 55. |
| Brenda Farrell, UK Director of Fostering and Adoption for Barnardo's, who was the Hubberts' social worker when they first became foster carers, said the UK was facing a "foster care crisis at an unprecedented rate". | Brenda Farrell, UK Director of Fostering and Adoption for Barnardo's, who was the Hubberts' social worker when they first became foster carers, said the UK was facing a "foster care crisis at an unprecedented rate". |
| A "record number" of children are entering the care system and there is "an insufficient number of loving homes" to accommodate them, she said. | A "record number" of children are entering the care system and there is "an insufficient number of loving homes" to accommodate them, she said. |
| "Without enough potential foster placements, children are already at risk of being placed in unsuitable situations as a last resort." | "Without enough potential foster placements, children are already at risk of being placed in unsuitable situations as a last resort." |
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