A FOSTER carer has been chosen as one of the five finalists for the inaugural WeCare Wales award.

Sandra Stafford, a foster carer for Conwy County Borough Council, and her husband Mark have cared for children since 2001.

In February 2018, a child was placed in their care following her discharge from hospital. Equipped with only the knowledge of the injuries this child had suffered, nobody was able to predict what complications or challenges were ahead for her or her foster carers.

Sandra and Mark, 64, brought the child into their home with open arms and from the very start, provided her with love, stability, and compassion, which would enable her to make significant progress in her recovery.

To this day, the child continues to amaze everyone around her as she makes remarkable progress.

Sandra, 59, who lives near Conwy, said: “We were both thrilled when we heard I’d got through to the finals. It really means a lot to us to think that social workers Danielle [Dally] and Sarah [Vader] value what we do as foster carers and took the time to nominate me.

"We don’t foster for any kind of recognition, we foster to help look after and care for any child who comes into our home.

“We’d thought about fostering many years ago but decided to put it on the back burner as we had a young family. About 20 years after a conversation with a friend we decided to go ahead and apply. We haven’t looked back since.

“We began as short break carers for children with a disability and two years later I gave up my job to become a full time foster carer.

“During our time fostering there have been so many highlights. Seeing the children thrive and see the joy in them when they’ve achieved something, working to ensure they get the best possible start in life is amazing.

“Joy also comes with sadness as we say goodbye to our little ones as they leave to begin a new chapter in their lives.”

Over 19 years of fostering as respite and general fostering, Sandra and Mark have cared for about 30 ‘wonderful’ children.

“When we had our first placement, it was exciting a little scary and we were very nervous,” Sandra said.

“Support from other carers is so important as they know what you’re going through. We’ve made some really good friends over the years.

“If anyone was thinking of becoming a carer I would say look into it very carefully, ask for lots of advice and information from the fostering team. Think how fostering would fit in with your family and friends, fostering involves all aspects of your life. If you’re still interested I’d say go for it.

“We have and still do love every minute looking after children.

“I would like to say we couldn’t have done or achieved what we have during our fostering journey without the love and support of our family.

“They, like us, have taken each child that has come into our lives into their hearts."

The inaugural WeCare Wales award is part of the accolades that are organised by Social Care Wales that recognise, celebrate and share excellent social care and early years in Wales.

The WeCare Wales award is new for 2020 and is the first time the accolades have recognised and celebrated individual care workers.

The award is aimed at paid care workers or volunteers who work in social care or early years in Wales, who make a positive difference to people’s lives and help them achieve what matters to them.

More than 70 care workers were nominated for the award and a panel of four judges whittled the nominees down to five finalists.

Members of the public are being asked to vote for the care worker they think should win the first WeCare Wales award.

Voting is open until Friday, October 16 and the winner will be revealed at a virtual Accolades awards ceremony on Tuesday, November 10.

Sue Evans, Social Care Wales’s Chief Executive, said: “These five finalists reflect some of the breadth of exceptional care that is being provided in Wales and I’d like to congratulate them all on reaching the final.”

Visit socialcare.wales/service-improvement/the-accolades-2020#section-37361-anchor to vote.