Some 40 youngsters in Kirklees need a loving home.

Kirklees Council has children in its care right now who are in urgent need of long and short-term foster care.

Usually a child in care will return to their own family but some, like those featured here, face a more uncertain future and are unable to return home. These children are in need of a long-term foster family, usually for the duration of their childhood, or until they are able to live independently.

Could you help transform the lives of one or more of these children? (All names have been changed).

James, Anna and Charlotte

James, Anna and Charlotte, aged 11, 10 and 8 respectively, are a loving, energetic brother and sisters with a very close bond, in need of a long-term foster family.

All three are described by their carers as lovely, caring and wonderful children, who love trying out new things. They enjoy spending time with each other and their carers. Although James is in a separate foster home from his sisters, the siblings have expressed a clear wish to be placed together.

James has been described as a laid back, easygoing child who is funny and sociable. He likes spending time with his friends, playing rugby and going to the cinema. He very much enjoys family time and being big brother to his younger sisters.

Anna and Charlotte’s carers and teachers say they are an absolute delight and easy to look after. They are fun-loving and always meet you with a smile and sometimes a giggle. Both girls participate in after school clubs and activities such as Brownies and Taekwondo. They also enjoy meals out, day trips and baking.

Samantha

12-year-old sports fan Samantha has been thriving at her local school, where she has almost full attendance.

She has expressed a strong to desire to find a foster family in or around Huddersfield so she can remain in the area and not have to move to a different school. She sometimes feels upset about being in care so needs an understanding carer who can provide the emotional support she needs. Samantha could benefit most from a family where there might be older children or no other children. She has lots of friends and enjoys various sports, particularly netball, rounders and badminton.

Alexander

Eight-year-old Alexander is a kind child who plays well with other children. He is affectionate and enjoys cuddles from his carer. A natural entertainer, he loves acting, singing and dancing and is an active child, who gets involved with physical and creative activities.

Although he can sometimes come across as a little bossy, Alexander has benefited from having clear boundaries and stability in his life. He responds well to praise and rewards and since being in care he has made massive progress. He’s a sensitive young man and needs carers who can respond to him accordingly.

His hobbies include Lego, drawing and playing football. He also enjoys making things such as Spiderman masks, playing with his friends and riding his bike.

Ella

Fourteen-year-old Ella currently lives in a residential unit with other young people and is looking for an understanding long-term foster family. She has a lot to offer and the right family would enable her to go on and achieve her full potential.

Ella needs help with day-to-day activities and is provided with assistance at school. Her carers would need to teach her how to look after herself and help her make friends. In the past she has presented some challenging behaviour and would benefit hugely from a family that she can spend quality time with, and ideally one with older children or no other children. Ella is a big Justin Bieber fan and has many pictures of him. She also likes horse riding, singing, dancing and going on holiday.

She has opened her heart - and her home - to youngsters who need help.

And now a Kirklees foster carer is asking people to reach out to some of society’s most vulnerable children during national Foster Care Fortnight (1-14 June) by providing them with a stable and loving home.

Lynsey Kinnear, 37, from Birkenshaw, has been a foster carer with Kirklees Council since 2012, fulfilling a life-long ambition to help give children the best possible start to life; an ambition fuelled by her father’s charitable efforts during her youth.

Foster carer Lynsey Kinnear

After just six months of providing respite foster care during weekends and holidays she didn’t think twice before offering two siblings the permanent foster home they so desperately needed.

This year alone, around 27,000 children across the UK will come into care needing a foster carer and it is estimated that more than 8,000 new foster carers are needed to help meet this demand. In Kirklees, dozens are on a waiting list

Lynsey said: “Growing up, I can’t remember a time when my father wasn’t getting involved in some kind of charity work; something he still does to this day. Perhaps one of his proudest moments was when he delivered aid to orphanages in Romania in the late 1980’s and he was full of enthusiasm when showing us photos from his trip of some of the children he’d helped.

“For these children people like my dad were a lifeline yet it struck me just how much he got out of being able to help them. This sparked something in me that made me appreciate how lucky I was to have my family around me. I wanted to help too so I’d always donate my pocket money to children’s charities and get involved with fundraising whenever I could.

“One day a friend recommended I try fostering. As a single person it never occurred to me that this was ever an option. But it came as a surprise to me that there are a significant number of single people out there, with or without children of their own, who foster.

“After being approved as a foster carer I started out by offering respite care to families and other carers during weekends and school holidays. This fitted in nicely with my career and it meant I could do other things in my spare time.

“Then I was asked to provide respite care for two sisters over a period of time. From the moment we met something clicked. They were a joy to be around and the three of us quickly became close. Already in short-term care, they needed a permanent foster family, and were desperate not to be separated. Then it hit me; I wanted to be the one to give these sisters the permanent home they needed”.

Paul Johnson: 40 kids in Kirklees need urgent foster care

“Paul Johnson, Kirklees Council’s Assistant Director - Family Support and Child Protection, said: “Last year we successfully matched over 70 children with long-term foster families but the number of children entering the care system continues to rise year-on-year locally and nationally. This year, we urgently need long-term foster carers like Lynsey for 45 local children but we’re also looking for people who can provide stable homes on a short-term basis, including older children and sibling groups”.

Kirklees will be holding three information events in Huddersfield for anyone who is interested in fostering. Dates are: - Wednesday 17th June – between 3pm and 5.30pm and on Wednesday 1st July - between 3pm and

6.30pm at Huddersfield Town Hall;- Wednesday 15th July – between 1pm and 5pm at Tolson Memorial Museum.Alternatively to talk to one of Kirklees’ fostering team visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/fostering or call 0800 389 0086.