A couple from Kidderminster have shared the joy of taking their foster kids on holiday. 

Kerry and Frank Lavelle have just returned with two very happy children after a family holiday to Lanzarote. 

The dedicated foster parents believe holidays are a fundamental part of childhood and want to help provide their foster children with a stable family life full of new experiences. 

The couple fosters two half-sisters with ISP Fostering who both have foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, known as FASD, and have three grown-up daughters of their own. 

Ms Lavelle now wants to break down the stigma attached to children in care by sharing her holiday experience. 

She said: "The girls are absolutely amazing and just so loveable. The first time they ever went on a place they were a little bit nervous, but this time they were fantastic and behaved beautifully. 

"The girls had never been away before coming to live with us and they just absolutely thrive with every holiday they go on.

"We used to take our own daughters on holiday and now we do the same with them, they have amazing experiences and make memories and that’s exactly what they need." 

Kerry and Frank with their three birth daughters who all support with the fosteringKerry and Frank with their three birth daughters who all support with the fostering (Image: ISP Fostering)

The couple find taking their foster children on holiday a great way to integrate them with the rest of the family and spend time socialising with other children in a new environment.

Ms Lavelle said: "This holiday has been really positive for the girls. They love trips and it gives them a chance to relax and enjoy new experiences.

"Our holidays are really positive for the girls. It’s really special because they allow us to bond as a family. The girls feel more included and it strengthens our relationship.

"They’ve got fond memories of our trips and that’s something they’ll cherish. It also gently pushes them out of their comfort zone as they get to meet new people and experience new things."

Ms Lavelle's foster daughters are well-known in their local community and doing a great job at breaking down the stigma surrounding children in care.

She often chats to people in the supermarket or the park explaining her fostering journey.  

She said: "When people have found out they’re my foster daughters they say ‘oh, but they’re lovely children' and they are. Just because they’re foster children it doesn’t mean they’re not lovely, they just have been through more than most of us can imagine."

There are currently more than 80,000 children in care in the UK, 1,000 of which are in Worcestershire.

This number continues to grow so more foster parents who can provide a loving home to vulnerable children are needed in Kidderminster and throughout the county. 

Ms Lavelle added: "We need more foster parents to help these amazing children and we need them now, but if you can't give love, don't do it. You can’t. That's the main thing for me and Frank, giving them love.

"This is what made our girls feel like they’re part of our family. They don't feel that they're foster children at all." 

For more information on fostering with ISP Midlands visit https://ipsfostering.org.uk/locations/west-midlands/