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…myths, and also emphasises the more pragmatic, down-to-earth side of foster caring. Carers are paid for what they do, of course, and when she talks of it, Yvonne surprises me by using the word ‘job’.

Being a foster parent is not so different from being a nurse, or a teacher, or a counsellor

‘It is a job. You’re doing a piece of work with a child. It’s about helping in the truest possible sense. About them being fed, and safe, and warm and having somewhere to sleep – all the little things that create a happy childhood.’ One aspect that people seem to struggle with when considering fostering is its temporary nature. ‘It can be from a few hours, on rare occasions, to years,’ says Yvonne. The need to give 100 per cent in caring for a child with a view to, hopefully, returning that child to their own family is undoubtedly a challenge, emotionally. But actually, as becomes clear during our chat, being a foster parent is not so different from being a nurse, or a teacher, or a counsellor (and perhaps involves a bit of all these); all jobs which, although similarly challenging, offer some of the greatest rewards of any job, changing lives for the better – forever.

We all hope that our daily work contributes to the sum total of happiness in some small way, but for it to have such a direct and measurable positive effect is rare indeed. These are society’s real superheroes, and they don’t require any superpowers to do what they do.

We don’t care what colour you are, what religion you are, what your sexuality is

‘People are probably more capable than they would think,’ says Yvonne. Unlike those other vocations, being a foster carer doesn’t require any special qualifications, either – another fact that many potential carers do not realise. ‘I think lots of people are capable of doing it. Lots of people are parents! You just need a spare room and a desire to help. We don’t care what colour you are, what religion you are, what your sexuality is. We’re not here to judge on those issues. We have single people, same-sex couples, married couples, cohabiting couples. We’re quite inclusive. We have all sorts of children from all sorts of backgrounds, so I always say we need all sorts of people to accommodate that. We recently had a few Muslim familes approved, which is really positive – but it’s a case of getting the message out there.’

The qualities they’re looking for are also disarmingly simple. ‘Responsibility. Patience. A good sense of what a family life should be. Plus a sense of humour! Just the qualities of a good person, really.’ Yvonne’s department offers full training, and the process takes about six months from initial contact and acceptance to becoming a fully-fledged foster carer. A couple who took the plunge are Cheryl an Eddie Ramos, who, at the time I spoke to them, were…