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More carers needed to share love

An unprecedented search has begun to find foster carers in the Pilbara willing to give displaced children the love of a family.

The Department of Child Protection and Family Support is leading the charge to find more carers in the North West, in the face of a growing number of children needing care and a dwindling number of people willing to take on the task.

As of April 2014, there were 82 foster carers in the Pilbara district, which included 23 general carers and 59 relative carers.

But DCPFS district director Natasha Bargeus said the numbers were not adequate.

"We definitely need more foster carers…emergency carers, short, medium and long-term carers; we also need carers who provide planned weekend care which will give the permanent carers a well-deserved break - we need everything," she said.

"Kids have to go into foster care because they are unable to live at home, generally due to some form of abuse or neglect."

Foster Care Association of WA president Fay Alford reflected on a lifetime of fostering at a dinner in South Hedland last week. After caring for a colossal 90 children in 30 years, she talked about the cycle of loss and grief associated with handing children back to their parents.

"It rips your heart out when you go around and find a little sock that was one of theirs," she said.

"There are challenges along the way but it's the best thing I've ever done."

Two South Hedland residents, who have been married for 16 years, decided to take the plunge into the realm of fostering last year. We have not named the couple for legal reasons.

After several attempts at trying to have a child of their own, the couple said the decision to foster was shaped by the awareness they had "so much to give".

"Why not give it to someone that really needs it," they said.

The couple now have three boys in their care aged seven months, 3½ years and seven years.

"I can't see my life without the kids now, especially when the first thing they do in the morning is give you a hug and a cuddle," the couple said.

For details, call 9160 2400.