A couple who sold their bakery to devote their lives to fostering children have been crowned national care champions.
Caroline and Tyrone Jones, from Tredegar, have opened their hearts and home to 25 children since giving up their family run bakery in 2007 to become foster carers.
The pair, described as “true inspirations”, were named as winners of the prestigious Peter Clarke Award for Promoting Excellence in Services for Children and Young People at this year’s Wales Care Awards.
The couple’s extraordinary dedication has transformed countless young lives – including that of a girl who came to them aged 10 unable to read and write and is now a qualified nurse.
The award came during what they described as “one of the best weekends of our lives”, with the ceremony taking place the day before their daughter’s wedding.
Caroline, 60, and Tyrone, 63, have also been approved as Shared Lives carers with the South East Wales Shared Lives Scheme to enable them to care for their foster children into adulthood.
Speaking about their award win, Caroline said: “We are absolutely gob smacked, we really didn’t expect it.
“It was a fantastic evening and we met some wonderful people. It was my daughter’s wedding the following day so our feet didn’t really touch the ground for a few days. It was definitely one of the best weekends of our lives.
“It’s taken a few days to process and it’s still not fully sunk in.
“We absolutely love what we do and, while we struggle to see that we are worthy of this award, we and our whole family are over the moon.”
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.
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, Chair of the Care Forum Wales, said the Wales Care Awards once again shone a light on the “unsung heroes and heroines” who make a vital difference to the lives of vulnerable people across the nation.
He said: “For more than 30 years, Care Forum Wales has worked tirelessly to champion the social care sector.
“The Wales Care Awards underlines the importance of the sector – it’s the glue that binds our communities together, both socially and economically.
“Our mission has always been to be the voice of social care in Wales to stand up for the workforce and ensure their dedication is properly recognised.”
A special moment in the evening when Mair Elis Thomas, widow of the late Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas, took to the stage to present one of the awards.
According to Mr Kreft it was a touching gesture that reflected Lord Elis Thomas’s long standing support for the Wales Care Award and for social care more broadly.
“Dafydd was a passionate believer in the power of the arts to enrich lives and support wellbeing and mental health,” said Mr Kreft.
“He is greatly missed, but his legacy lives on – not only through his contribution to public life as a Presiding Officer, but also through the positive impact he had on so many communities.”
