As National Fostering Fortnight enters its second week - and Derby City Council pushes to recruit 40 new foster carers - Amanda Volley meets a remarkable single mother who has filled her home with children ...

The focal point of Helen Burrows' kitchen is an enormous scrubbed pine table with at least 10 chairs around it. On the many work surfaces are industrial-sized boxes of biscuits, crisps and washing powder.

So it does not take a genius to realise Helen's family is not just any family. It is a huge family. Its sheer size - Helen (47), of Derby, has cared for a mind-boggling 14 children in the last 20 years - sometimes confounds Helen herself.

"I try calling one of the kids and the name just won't come," she laughs, voicing a problem, which is common to every parent who has more than one child and not enough sleep.

"So I often resort to calling 'thingie' and they always seem to know who I mean. Either that or I call out every name until I get the right one - I sound just like Ma off the Waltons."

It is a good analogy. The atmosphere in the house may be a little more down to earth - it is hard to imagine Ma Walton sharing a funny anecdote about a child with an injured testicle with as much relish as Helen - but there is just as much love flowing around.

Helen's family is made up of her sons Matthew (27), Christopher (21), and Martyn (13). The rest are fostered. Moreover, Helen would laugh at the suggestion that she has got anything in common with Ma Walton - for one thing, she has no need of a Pa.

"I'm a lone parent. I didn't choose to be and, when I got married, it was with every intention of it being for life, but that's what happened."

Then she laughs again: "Being a single mum is not a drawback. I find a dishwasher more useful than a man. "Seriously, the workers from the fostering team take the place of a husband. If I need help, support or someone to talk to, I call them."

Helen worships her enormous brood. Throughout our interview she often jumps up and runs off to find a much-treasured photograph of one of them. It is not necessary to ask why she got into fostering - she simply loves kids.

"It all began after my two marriages failed. I had young sons to bring up and it crossed my mind that, without my family around, I'd be stuck if I became ill and had to go into hospital.
"Then it occurred to me that there must be children out there in this situation and, while I felt it wasn't ideal for a single mum to foster little ones, I wondered if I could offer a home to teenagers."

This curiosity led Helen to make a phone call to the fostering and adoption unit at Derby City Council.
"To be honest, I didn't think much of my chances. Like a lot of people, I assumed they'd only be interested in couples.
"Even one of my friends said she felt children would be better off in homes which could offer them a mum and a dad.
"But the unit did not agree. They pointed out that many of the children they have in care are from single- parent families and I, being a single mum whose own parents were divorced, would understand what was going on in their lives."

Not that any of this prepared Helen for the reality of welcoming her first foster child. "She was a girl aged 15.

"I was petrified. What I didn't realise was that she was three times more frightened than me.
"She'd lived in an institution for so long, she didn't wash or change her clothes without being told to.
"She'd been here for a week and hadn't taken a shower and I was so concerned that I rang the social worker. She told me that the girl was waiting for me to give her permission - when I did, she was so relieved."

Helen was not even sure how she would behave with her new arrivals at first - the 15-year-old girl was shortly followed by a 15-year-old boy. She soon realised her new charges were reluctant to trust adults.

"The boy had been taken into care at three. He'd lived most of his young life in a boarding nursery and then a boarding school and wasn't used to family life.
"After a year, he seemed to be doing well but then announced he wanted to leave. I was so upset.
"It turned out that everyone he'd ever loved or respected had left and he was terrified of getting hurt again.
"But he stayed and he's still part of the family - even though he's now 35 and a dad himself.

Breaking down the barriers with him taught me an important lesson. Trust is vital if these children are going to feel secure. If you say you are going to do something - you have to do it."

Helen decided early on that she was going to offer long-term fostering: "I wanted them to know that, whatever happened, they had a home here until they wanted to leave."

Understandably, it takes a lot to get the children to leave home. Helen almost has to count on her fingers to recall who is still at home as some go - only to return a few months later.
"I have two of my own sons at home, four foster children and one of my grown-up foster children living in a caravan outside, which he loves because he gets the best of both world - an independent life and home comforts.
"To be honest, I didn't really intend to foster four children at one time. The younger two, brothers aged five and eight, simply came for the weekend - three years ago. I think we all hoped a younger couple would come forward for them. If this doesn't happen soon, I've decided to throw them a huge party to welcome them to our family for good."

Helen is also quick to point out that she does not think in terms of her 'own' children and 'foster' children. They are all family.

"My own sons get on well with all my foster children. They have never once objected to my decision to foster.
"In fact, they've always supported me. It's the same with my older foster children - they often come back to help out with the younger ones.
"The behavioural problems of a new foster child - and believe me we've had the lot - has never influenced my sons. All my children soon realise there are rules and boundaries that I will not allow them to cross.

"They all thrive on knowing that someone cares about where they are and what they are doing. It seems to have worked - all my children have gone on to get good jobs and good relationships. I'm so proud of them all. My eldest son is a leading firefighter and he doesn't drink or smoke and my middle son looks set to follow in his footsteps. Helen admits the early days, even weeks, with a neglected or abused child can be a challenge.

"It's not naughtiness. Some of these children have no understanding of what is right or wrong and they are often very angry. When one child arrived he was difficult and used some bad language. But I'd just take his face gently in my hands and keep saying we don't do things like that here.

"Or I'll give him a cuddle until he calms down. I also find it helps to avoid criticism and praise the positive instead. Also, the staff at his school have been wonderful - they always give him a cuddle too.

"A phrase I use a lot is 'everything stops here'. All that's ever happened to them is in the past - and that also applies to their behaviour. It's a new start for all of us."

It means a lot of work. Helen laughs when she admits to being pretty 'jiggered' a lot of the time.
"Just getting them to school can be a headache. I have to drop one at Alvaston and then my own son to a school in Leicestershire. After that I do the chores - my washing machine is on three times a day - and then I usually have some 'me' time. I'll do the garden or go for a swim. Then they come home and the fun starts again."

Friends and family do wonder how she copes: "Once my sister offered to look after them for a weekend and, after preparing a meal of banana sandwiches, she was startled to find they all wolfed it down as a snack and wanted their proper dinner.
"She wasn't used to that sort of thing. When I got back she said she couldn't do what I do."

But Helen is suitably modest: "I'm not saying I'm perfect by any means. I have made mistakes and I've even apologised to the children later and they've told me not to be silly.

"One of them brought me a fridge magnet which says 'angel in training' which I think sums it up for most parents.

"I'm just an ordinary mum. The only difference is that, unlike most mums, I've had lots of experience, lots of back-up and help and training from experts."

Although Helen offers long-term care, she is quick to urge anyone to come forward who can offer short-term respite care - even if it is just for the weekend.

"I know the city council's fostering team need more people who can offer short or long-term care and they will consider anyone, whether they are younger or old, single, married, living together or gay. It doesn't matter - just so long as they can provide a loving home."

Which is exactly what Helen herself does. Ask her why and she just smiles a very contented smile.
"Because I can, that's why. I've never had a child here yet who I couldn't love. There's always something about them and that's what keeps you going."

Foster carers get financial help and plenty of support

Becoming a foster carer is a huge step to take in every way and for many people, the financial implications may make them hesitate. An extra person to feed, clothe and house costs dear but cash is available to ease the burden.

Says Dal Guram, marketing officer for Derby City Council: "The council gives all foster carers a fostering allowance to cover the costs of looking after a child. The amount varies according to the age of the child. For example, a child aged upto four-years-old will have an allowance of £69.09 a week, a child aged five to 10 received £78.75, a child aged 11-15 receives £98 and a child aged from 16 to 18 will have an allowance of £125.02 a week.

"The council also offers a fee-paying scheme for foster carers. The scheme is called Project Fostering and a carer receives £109.55 a week for each child and the fostering allowance. These higher payments tend to be for carers who are looking after children with particularly challenging needs.
"Children First is a special long-term fostering scheme for carers looking after children with special needs and disabled children. It offers a fee of around £110 a week for each child and an allowance."
"You also get birthday and holiday allowances."

The council's support is not just financial.
Says Dal: "Foster carers have the option to go on a training course to enhance their childcare skills. Also, we are one of a very few councils in the country that offers carers a 24-hour telephone support and advice line and a leisure pass that gives carers and their families free use of council leisure centres in off-peak periods.

"Fostering can be challenging, but it can also be very enjoyable and rewarding. Foster carers have the chance to make a positive and lasting difference to a young person's life."