"EVERY day that you are looking after a child is an extra day that child is safe."

That's the message from a Redditch couple who have spent the last three years looking after children in care.

Tim Jarvis, 38 and wife Claire, 28, are foster carers with Foster Care Associates (FCA), and say the decision to foster was not easy but ultimately has been worth it.

Inspired to foster by his parents, Tim said: "I've always loved being around kids and feel like I'm a bit of a kid at heart, this is where the idea to become a foster carer initially stemmed from.

"Claire and I spoke to my parents about all of our concerns and asked them lots of questions. They really helped give us an overall picture of what it would be like and really encouraged us to do it. We first looked into fostering with the local authorities but decided to follow my parents advice and joined them fostering with FCA.

"I have still managed to continue running my own business around our fostering, taking time off whenever I need to with Claire being a full time foster carer - she gave up her full time job just before we went to panel."

Claire and Tim recently welcomed their first birth child into the world, following three years fostering a mix of long term, short term, emergency and sanctuary seeking placements with FCA.

On the birth of their child Tim said: "This doesn’t change how we feel about being foster carers in the slightest.

"When we have opened up about being foster carers some people automatically ask, and often assume, that people foster because they can’t have children of their own. Although we have become parents we are still fostering and always will.

"Over the years we have opened our home to young people of all ages and from different walks of life. We have looked after children on a long term basis, taken care of a sanctuary seeking child from Iran, and our current placement is an 11-year-old girl who has been with for just five months."

He added: "We wouldn’t offer any advice other than to always remember to be open minded and expect the unexpected. You will have happy times and you will have sad times but every day you are looking after a child is an extra day that child is safe."

For more information on becoming a foster carer with FCA, call 0800 022 4330 or visit thefca.co.uk.