A caring couple who made the decision to devote their lives to helping children following a chance conversation with a social worker have been shortlisted for a prestigious award.
Caroline and Tyrone Jones, from Tredegar, have opened their home to 25 children since they decided to sell their family-run bakery to become foster carers in 2007.
Together they have changed the lives of those in their care, including a young girl who came to them at age 10 unable to read and write who has now gone on to a successful nursing career after passing her degree with flying colours.
Their care and devotion has now led to them being shortlisted for one of this year’s Wales Care Awards, organised by Care Forum Wales to pay tribute to the frontline heroes of social care.
The presentation ceremony, sponsored by Meddyg Care, is being held at Cardiff’s Holland House Hotel on Friday, October 17.
The couple are finalists in The Peter Clarke Award for Promoting Excellence in Services for Children & Young People category, which is sponsored by Morgan LaRoche Solicitors.
Caroline, 60, and Tyrone, 63, became foster carers in 2007 and were more recently approved as Shared Lives carers with the South East Wales Shared Lives Scheme to enable them to care for their foster children into adulthood.
Caroline says becoming a foster carer “was meant to be”.
She explained: “My parents ran a bakery and after my mother passed away in 2003, we took over the running of the business. It was on the same road as the social services offices and opposite a boys’ school.
“The boys would come into the bakery a lot for a chat and something to eat. Sometimes the children wouldn’t have any money but we would make sure that they were fed.
“A social worker saw us interact with the children and asked if we would consider applying to become foster carers.
“It was the best thing that ever happened to me, and it was definitely meant to be.”
Caroline, a former chef and former factory worker Tyrone, who between them have four children, have been married for 21 years.
The couple say that they have treated every foster child like their own and have enjoyed lots of holidays at their caravan in Porthcawl.
They are extremely proud that the children they have cared for over the years still come back to visit, and treat the couple as their extended family.
The couple, who are delighted and proud that they have been nominated for an award, say that the most important aspect of foster caring is building trust.
Caroline said: “There have been lots of challenges along the way but we are very proud of all the children we have looked after. We treat them as our own children, we offer stability, love and care and we make sure that we make them laugh. And building trust with them is vital.
“We love to see the children thrive. Seeing them happy, confident and where they want to be is the biggest reward.
“My heart has always been in fostering and it always will be.”
The couple were jointly nominated for the award by Shared Lives Worker Lynette Marchetti Ridley and Shared Lives Co-ordinator Sharon Savory.
Sharon said: “Caroline and Tyrone have created a positive and fun environment where young people can thrive. This includes engaging in activities together, celebrating achievements, and providing a loving and caring atmosphere.
“Caroline and Tyrone exemplify these roles through their dedication and commitment, making a significant impact on the lives of the young people they support.
“They do not see supporting individuals and young people as work. They love to spend time with them, and they are all very much part of their family.
“It is refreshing to work so closely with them, and they undertake their roles with such an incredible standard.
“Over the past 18 years, they have fostered children of all ages. It makes them both happy seeing the children achieve their goals in life and moving on into adulthood. They believe that with the right encouragement, individuals can achieve anything that they want in life.
Sharon added: “A young woman who lives with Caroline and Tyrone turned 18 in 2019, so they decided to continue with their support to her and complete the Shared Lives assessment process to become Shared Lives carers, so that she would not be separated from her sister and they could continue to be a family. This was and is very important to them.
“She has lived with Caroline and Tyrone since she was 14 and has transitioned into adult services. Caroline and Tyrone have supported her to grow in confidence and independence enabling her to make choices and decisions.
“Caroline and Tyrone enjoy their time with her saying that she is such a good fit in their family home, and they have a very good and close relationship.
“As a result of being shared lives carers, she has become more independent with the relevant support and enjoys her own space but also likes to do things with Caroline, Tyrone and their extended family.”
Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said: “Care Forum Wales has been working tirelessly for more than 30 years to promote the social care sector.
“We established the Wales Care Awards to show our appreciation to the workforce and the wider sector for the remarkable and vitally important contribution everybody makes, day in day out.
“The event underlines the importance of the social care sector. It is the glue that binds our communities together, both socially and economically.
“Our mission is to be the voice of social care in Wales to advocate on the sector’s behalf, holding truth to power in order to secure a fair deal to recognise the dedication of our front line heroes and heroines across our nation.
“If you don’t value the people who do the caring you will never provide the standards that people need and never recognise the value of the people who need the care in society.
“Every single one of our finalists is a winner and will be presented with a gold, silver or bronze award.”
