This couple has been fostering vulnerable children for seven years - and now they are encouraging others to come froward and help young people in need.
Delia and Franz Cox have taken care of 22 children so far, many of them from different backgrounds, and are currently looking after two youngsters.
They say fostering is rewarding and have spoken of their experience in the hope that other parents will be encouraged to foster children. Fostering agency FCA says thousands of families are needed across the country to help young people.
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Delia, 56, and Franz, 57, of Stanley, County Durham, who have two birth children, initially inquired about fostering 15 years ago.
Delia, who used to run a barber shop, said: "We have always wanted to make a difference in children’s lives but back then I don’t believe that we fully understood what fostering entailed. After that initial inquiry, we realised the time was not quite right for us due to my husband working away serving in the Army. Our birth children were also very young, so we decided to hold off and revisit it at a more suitable time in our lives.
"Eight years later, in 2014, we were in a better position to fully consider fostering, and that’s when we began. I decided to have a career change and sold my barber shop in order to foster vulnerable children full time. I always got on well with the children who came into the shop, and it was there really that I realised I could do this as a career."
The couple have two sons and two foster children. Their birth sons are both older now and have families of their own. Over the years, Delia and Franz have also been involved in respite foster care, which is for a limited time.
Delia said: "Fostering has made such a positive impact on our lives, First of all, our family is now bigger. We are still in contact with some of the foster children we have taken care of too. Fostering has allowed me to see what some children have to go through before they get to a better life.
"I have not had the best upbringing myself, so I have always been able to sympathise and understand these children, and ultimately, I want to give them a better life."
The couple say fostering can sometimes be challenging. Franz said: "Delia and myself have taken care of 22 children in total over the last few years, many of them from different backgrounds and countries, including Africa, Afghanistan, South America, Sri Lanka and others.
"We have experience caring for children from various countries and religions different to our own and that can sometimes be challenging as there is a lot to adapt and consider.
"However, when children from different backgrounds come to us, it's important for us to do our research into their religion, or country traditions, and do special things for them such as cook their favourite foods, as well as encourage them to learn English. Sometimes you can’t prepare for every eventuality, you have to be creative and that is one of our favourite things."
Delia flew to the UK from Germany 20 years ago, and when she arrived, she could not speak English. She said: "Coming to this country 20 years ago, not knowing a word of English, enables me to relate to these children and help them learn, just like how I did. The children we have currently in our care are from South America, and it’s really interesting to learn from them as well as teach them."
When asked what their most memorable moments have been, Franz said: "The most standout moment for me was a time when we had three traveller children in our care. We cared for them for four weeks and they had settled in well. One Friday, we sat them down once they had come home from school and explained that it was time for them to go back home.
"They all jumped in the air and were obviously very excited initially, and then the eldest one who was 11, suddenly became very sad and turned her back to us. She was crying and we asked her what the matter was, and she explained that although she was happy to be going home to see her family, she was going to miss us very much, which was heartbreaking really to hear, but makes everything so worthwhile."
And Delia added: "At one point, we had four children in our care, including two from Sri Lanka and two from Afghanistan. We had so many different people from different backgrounds sitting around our dinner table and it was just a pleasure to be a part of.
"We loved to learn about their lifestyle, how they eat, what they eat, what daily things they are used to, it’s all such an incredible thing to learn about. After 10 months, we had built up a great relationship with the birth mother of the Sri Lankan boys. I was invited to her house to give her advice on how to look after them, which really shows how impactful fostering can be."
The couple believe that the most rewarding part of fostering is seeing the children in a better place.
"Watching the children go back to their birth families or seeing them have a better life with someone else really is the most rewarding part for us," said Delia. "We enjoy staying in contact with some of the children and seeing them now living their best lives, it’s incredible."
She also had some advice for anyone considering fostering and said: "FCA are first class in comparison to other fostering routes I have been with, I would highly recommend people to foster with FCA. For those considering it, just give it a go. Don’t give up when it gets tough, it is such a rewarding thing to do with your life if you persevere."
