Their eldest two children were three and five years respectively at that time and after two foster placements and two more children of their own, there was no more room in the house. However, when the two elder children left home, they decided to return to fostering and joined Community Foster Care in 2004.Since then they have had one long term placement and close to thirty emergency or respite placements, lasting anything from one night to several months.

During the interim, Joanna was a Governor at Winchcombe School for 11 years, acting as the link for SEN and she worked for a time as a special needs support assistant. She also completed a counselling course and a basic diploma in IT.

Since 2001 she has been employed administrating conferences and training courses at the Planned Environment Therapy Trust, a charity which supports therapeutic environments, working alongside people with considerable experience in therapeutic child care. She is also a Panel Member for another not for profit fostering agency.

They retired as carers in October 2014 and Joanna was pleased to change her position on the Board from Carer Representative to Trustee, with a new role as Children’s Ambassador, and she looks forward to meeting more of the children and young people and hearing their views.