A CWMBRAN couple have spoken of the transformative experiences of fostering during the launch of a borough-wide campaign to find new carers.

Fostering February is a month-long campaign which hopes to dispel myths and misconceptions about the practice, while raising awareness.

David and Angie Phillips, from Cwmbran, started fostering six months ago, looking after three children in that period, with two teenage girls aged 12 and 13 in their care presently.

Mr Phillips said: “We had the care and the passion to want to foster and to hopefully change some young children’s lives.”

After retiring from his job in 2012, Mr Phillips, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, found that he and his wife had extra time on their hands.

Together, the couple decided that they should becoming foster carers.

Mr Phillips, who competes as an archer in Paralympic competitions found that the use of sport was a great way to bond with the children who came into the couple’s care.

“We include them in a lot of activities,” he said.

“They love sports and I’m a sports person. They go to a lot of out of school activities.”

His wife added that they have been fortunate during their fostering with the children placed into their care.

“With teenagers, you’ve just got to come down to their level,” said Mrs Phillips.

“We’ve been very lucky, the children that we’ve fostered are wonderful children.”

However, for Mrs Phillips, the most rewarding aspect of fostering is helping to see the children develop and grow during the placement.

“There’s been a total change in our girls in three months,” she said.

“They came to us as girls, and now they’re young ladies.”

The couple have praised the help afforded to them by the council since they decided to become foster carers in 2015.

“Torfaen council were very quick and very thorough,” said Mrs Phillips.

“They’re always there if you need them, and always at the end of the phone.”

For more information on fostering, visit torfaen.gov.uk/fostering