Now they say their house - a three-bed semi in Newcastle 'with elastic walls' - is not a home without a child in it. And the toybox is a permanent feature of their homely front room even though their own son, Michael, is now 13, and their daughters, Rebecca, 27, Rachel, 24, and Lisa, 18, are all independent.

Barry, a former milkman who gave up his round through ill-health, has swapped roles with his wife, Kath, who works a nightshift at Celestica. He's now a househusband and carer who is known as 'the Pied Piper' down at the local shops near to his home in Bradwell.

He explained: "I suffer from arthritis so walking does me good but I don't need a dog, I feel more at home with a pushchair. Everyone knows me now and they don't bat an eyelid when I roll up at the shops with yet another 'grandchild'. I joke that it keeps me off the streets."

Born into a family of eight children, Barry has always been used to a busy household. "It was always first up, best dressed," he laughed.

Now he feels he's found his vocation in life and delights in spending afternoons baking in the kitchen to entertain his young charges and never flinches when it's time to change a nappy.

He said: "The house is never quiet. We bought two sofas instead of armchairs because we can fit more people on them and, when we don't have a foster child, the house seems empty."

But both Barry and Kath say that the love they give to the children, they get back in satisfaction of having helped them through a difficult time in their lives.

Kath explained: "We've had all sorts of children, from all sorts of backgrounds. Some come for the odd day, some come for months or years and some seem to come for ever. We never lose touch with some of them.

"We get cards and photographs at Christmas and Barry was recently asked to become Godfather to one of the youngsters we fostered.

"In many cases, a few days' care is all a child needs. It could be that a tot's mum is having to go into hospital and she has no-one to help. Families don't always have the infrastructure they used to so we step in to help out.

"At other times we have had children with difficult backgrounds. We had three beautiful children whose mum was suffering from post natal depression and could not cope. We still see them now - they call us Kath and Barry.

"We had another Pakistani little boy who called Barry 'Mr Barry' and was always very polite. Then there was the little girl of two who had been badly neglected. It was depressing to see her at first. She had such a lack of physical skills and was very withdrawn. We had her for two years and, when she left, she was bright as a button.

"A lot of people have strange perceptions of foster parents. They think you need to be middle class with a big house but the reality is that all you need is love to give the child. They just need a bit of stability in their lives and somewhere to feel safe."

The Whitehouses began fostering when their own daughter, Becky, was just 11. Inspired by the experiences of one of their friends, they took on a two-and-a half-year old and a sixteen-year-old at the same time.

They learned some valuable lessons in handling teenagers and had some initial problems with Becky being displaced from her position as the eldest in the family.

But nowadays they foster only pre-school children because Lisa, 18, and Michael, 13, each need their own bedrooms and they don't have room for an older child.

Both admit that fostering can be hard work at times. Kath revealed: "The first month is usually chaos when we have a new child settling in. I suppose it's a bit like bringing a new baby into your home - it's a huge upheaval.

"And, we wouldn't be human, if we didn't feel upset when they go but we realise they are not our children - though we do treat them the same as our own we are simply preparing them to take the next step in their lives.

"It's great when they move on - either back to their parents or to adoptive parents, and you later see them settled and happy. We know then that we've done our job well. It's just great to be a part of their little lives and to share some time with them."

Fostering in the Stoke-on-Trent area is overseen by the Family Placement Team based at Heron Cross House in Fenton - phone 01782 234555.

In the year ended March 2001, the team had 322 referrals for children needing foster placements and they are always looking for new foster carers.

Fostering means caring for someone else's child in your own home and sharing the child's care with their parents and the Local Authority. Wherever possible children go back to their own families but some are unable to return home.

There are many ways of fostering but the main types of care are: Short term - for families in crisis where they child returns home; respite - where children are looked after for weekends or an occasional week to give parents a break; permanent - usually for over sevens until they reach independence.

There are many different people acting as foster carers but the key requirements are the ability to provide a stable, supportive family base and a wish to help children and their families through their time of need. You do not have to be married, employed, or even a parent to become a foster carer.

Carers are paid an allowance, usually between £80 and £150 per week, to cover the cost of all the child's needs, including food and clothing.

Story and picture courtesy of The Sentinel, Stoke

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