ALL you need is love and a spare room, foster mother Natalie Morini has said.
She was describing her philosophy which has led to her family taking in 12 youngsters aged from four months to 17 years during the past four years.
The Bangor family has one natural son, Nicholas, 13, and three natural daughters aged 12, nine and six.
The foster children are 12-month-old twins and a four-year-old sister who have been with the family for eight months.
Fostering for Mrs Morini began after a workmate spoke to her about it.
"When he talked about what he was doing it sparked something in me.
"Fostering makes you more organised and structured; when you have your own family you need structure.
"Foster children thrive on structure and routine — some haven't known much structure before."
The Morini family's journey to fostering began by taking children for respite care.
She said it helped that her husband David Morini was a builder, so whenever the family expanded all they needed to do was "knock up a few walls".
Before taking on another foster child all members of the the family discussed the particular foster children and agreed to taking them into their home.
"All a child needs is love and attention and to feel safe," Ms Morini said.
"A child responds to us with what we give to them [but] they do take little pieces of you when they leave."
The Morinis' foster care agency is called Life Without Barriers.
CARERS NEEDED
The theme of the 2014 Foster Care Week, September 14-20, is ‘‘caring for carers’’.
NSW needs 450 new carers in the next year, with foster carers wanted from traditional families, single person homes, empty nesters, professionals and same sex couples.
There is also a huge need for Aboriginal carers.
Foster carers work with a case worker to support the youngster.
Details: fosteringnsw.com.au or call 1800 236 783 and lwb.org.au.
