TAKING another person’s child into your home and providing them with the love and stability they need is probably one of the most selfless acts of all.

As the latest campaign to encourage new foster carers to come forward reaches its climax, agencies hope more people will sign up to give a child a chance in life.

Daryl and Alan Coclough, of Rush Green Road, Clacton, have been foster carers for 11 years.

Daryl, 52, and Alan, 54, have five children of their own, but felt they could give something back.

More than 110 youngsters later, they are still going strong.

They are currently caring for a 14-month-old girl and two boys aged 12 and 16.

Foster caring involves looking after children temporarily, either until their parents are able to care for them or until a decision has been made to put the child in a more permanent home.

Daryl explained how the whole family fostered and their own children, aged 19 to 28, took the decision to give it a go.

Daryl said: “It has turned out to be wonderful.

“There are a lot of checks that have to be done, such as the Criminal Records Bureau, health and family history.

“But there is also a lot of training and support.

“It can be daunting, but it’s all worth it in the end.”

The process takes about six months.

Since their first child, Daryl’s home has never been empty and they often care for three children at a time, the maximum allowed.

One of the striking things about fostering is how flexible it can be.

Carers can specify the age- range and type of youngster they want to look after, and for how long.

There is also no age limit on who can be a carer.

And children can be placed with single carers, gay couples and other family unit combinations. Carers can even act as respite relief for other fosterers.

Fosterers are not paid, but are given maintenance allowances.

They also receive a fee, depending on their level of qualifications – Daryl and Alan have just completed an NVQ level three in caring.

Daryl said: “If you think about going into fostering and that you would get well paid, you are not.

“You spend a lot of money on the kids. As much as the allowances are good, you don’t go into it for the money.”

The carers are treated as professionals but, as Daryl points out, they work 24/7, 365 days a year.

There is a general shortage, with numbers particularly low for those willing to take on teenagers.

Daryl said: “Teens come with more baggage.

“Older ones tend to have had a lot of placements and, as much as foster carers try, the child makes it difficult sometimes.

“They want to do whatever they want and often get angry with their parents because they are not with them.

“We have looked after quite a few, treated them with respect and have had no problems.

“Some do drugs, smoke or fall in with a bad crowd. As a carer, that can be hard to understand, but they have never had a chance to settle.

“Each child needs that love and someone to say ‘whatever you do, we will care and look after you’.”

Despite the image of fostered children coming from troubled backgrounds, there could be any number of reasons why the youngster is fostered.

Daryl said: “Perhaps parents have gone into hospital, are receiving post-natal therapy, or they simply can’t cope for a while. It’s not all bad.

“It’s wrong to say parents don’t love their children.

“I have not met a parent yet who has not tried to fight for their child.’’ Daryl sings the praises of support groups for carers who can help when the going gets rough.

She said: “There have been times I have thought ‘why am I doing this?’ and you sometimes think ‘I don’t want to do this any more’.

“But support groups kept me going, as they make you think about things in a different perspective, which helps.

“We do it because we enjoy it and if ever we decided we didn’t, we would stop.

“It is the most rewarding thing we have ever done – to keep a child smiling or hear them laughing when they haven’t before, or when they give you a hug, it’s wonderful.

“I would recommend it. It’s not for everybody.

“But if you feel you want to give something back, you can.

“You can always stop, you are not in it for life.

“If you are thinking of doing it, talk to foster carers.’’