Colin and Sharon Jamison had two beautiful little girls, but they always knew they wanted to have more children.
"We thought over time that there are a lot of children out there who don't have homes", Colin told Mirror Online.
"Rather than bringing more in to the world, let's look after the ones already here."
That was 30 years ago, and since then the couple, who live in Belfast, have dedicated their time to helping to raise children as foster parents.
They've had more than 20 children through their door with placements lasting anywhere between a few days and 11 years.
Colin, 57, said: "We’ve had children who have had multiple carers before us and have lost their identity along the way. It’s important for us to give these young people the security they need.
"When you see a children develop and you start to see them progress at school, you really feel the benefits of what you're doing.
"A child who has been withdrawn starts to come out of themselves, it's really good to see."
Sharon, 56, added: "Even seeing them have the confidence to be cheeky back to you, because that's natural."
Throughout their many years of fostering, the couple have cared for children with a wide range of needs and behaviours, including young people with challenging behaviours, teenagers and those with life-limiting disabilities.
Speaking as part of Barnardo's Fostering Week, Colin says that as a foster carer “you have to look past what you’re seeing on the exterior and find the young child.”
The couple's daughters Nicola and Samantha were six and three when their first placement arrived, and Colin and Sharon admit they were worried about how it might affect them.
Sharon said: "That was a concern for us. They had to be our priotity."
Luckily the girls loved having a new friend to play with and have always been very supportive of having other children in their home.
"They were really happy about it. They understood that some children need a bit of support. They're very caring girls.
"As they've grown up they've got more and more involved.
"Our eldest did get a bit jealous with our first placement, but she was able to come and talk to us. We understood that and made sure everybody felt included."
Their longest placement was a little girl who had motor neurone disease, who stayed with them from the age of nine until she passed away aged 19.
Sharon said: "We were told she couldn't talk or communicate, she couldn't even smile.
"She was just the most amazing wee girl. It was just like a flower opened up when she could give expressions, her eyes just sparkled."
She passed away while living with the Jamison family.
"She had a really lovely life. She had fun and she never complained even though she was in a lot of pain.
"She inspired up and kept us going.
"Everybody around her, social workers, family, came together to make sure her life could be good.
"We look have very positively, everybody made her happy."
The couple attended a Barnardo's information event after a friend saw newspaper advert at the same time they were discussing the idea of fostering behind closed doors and gave to them by complete chance.
Colin already knew about the incredible work Barnardo's does as some of his school friends lived in one of their children's homes.
The couple now focus on giving the children who stay with them happy memories from their childhoods in a bid to ensure they have nice things to look back on when they're older.
He said: "When children come in to a strange environment they seem a bit confused and scared. It's great having chuldren who are close in age to them.
"As adults we stand back and let the children do a lot of the engaging.
"They soon settle in to the routine."
Sharon adds: "You can have a child that settles within a few weeks and feels like they've been here forever. But some don't settle for years."
The couple once looked after one boy who packed his bags every time they had an argument as he was convinced they would say they had had enough of him and kick him out, even though he had lived with them for four years.
The couple admit that certain parts of their journey have been challenging, but say the training Barnardo’s offers has helped them tackle difficult situations.
Colin said: "When it's hard for us to deal with it, we just think how hard it must be for that child.
“You simply cannot put a price on supporting a child and the difference you get to see in them."
Javed Khan, the chief executive of Barnardo’s, said: “Fostering changes children’s lives. Foster carers give children the care, love and hope they need to recover from past trauma and achieve a positive future.
“Barnardo’s has more than 100 years of experience finding families for vulnerable children. We support our foster carers throughout the process with training, opportunities to connect with others, and advice at the end of the phone.
“We urge anyone interested in becoming a foster carer to get in touch.”
Barnardo’s, the leading children’s charity, is calling for more foster carers to come forward. Whether you are single or married, male or female, a homeowner or renting, straight, lesbian, gay, trans or bisexual, we want to hear from you.
To find out more, visit: www.barnardos.org.uk/fostering-week
