Shannon grew up as a child who fosters

 Shannon's Mum and Dad had been thinking about fostering for a while. Before they made enquiries, they sat down and talked through what they wanted to do, and why they wanted to do it with Shannon and her sister.

They were quite young at the time, but old enough to understand. Her parents explained that not all children have happy home lives like they do. Not all children have enough food to eat, or mums and dad who look after them, play with them, teach them things or tuck them in at night.

Before they started fostering, she remembers social workers visiting their home and talking to everyone. As a family, they talked all the time about what it might be like and the kind of children they might have to come and live with them.

The first foster child to arrive was a baby. Shannon found it quite strange as she didn't really remember her younger sister being born, so having a baby in the house was a bit different. Toddlers and other children arrived after that.

And of course there were some teething issues.The foster children sometimes didn't get told off for the same things Shannon and Emma would get told off for, and that was strange. But her parents always explained why - most of the foster children had experienced a different kind of upbringing to Shannon and her sister. Boundaries hadn't been set. They hadn't learned about things that were OK and not OK like Shannon had. The children weren't the same as them, and it would take time for them to learn right from wrong.

It didn't feel strange for very long, and it soon became second nature to have other children living with them in their house.

"My mum and dad are just amazing. They always seemed to have time for each child who needed attention, at exactly the time they needed them. And they're so incredibly patient, with all of us.

At school, Shannon found out that there were other children who fostered. It was good to be able to talk to them about fostering, because no-one really knows what it's like unless they're doing it themselves. Her local council also ran a 'children who foster' activity group and she enjoyed going bowling and doing other activities with them.

Growing up surrounded by children from different backgrounds and all walks of life has inspired Shannon to become a teacher. She's currently at university. "I've already had so much experience of children with all sorts of different needs and behaviours; it's really given me such great insight for my career plans." And having been a child who fosters, and now  as a student still helps her parents out with babysitting and day care when she's home from uni, Shannon would encourage everyone to foster.

"Absolutely do it. Don't be worried about the possible impact on your birth children. They'll grow up with a bigger understanding of the world, and they'll be more empathetic and more compassionate people."

Shannong can't really imagine her parents not having a house full of children whenever she goes home. She's really proud of how many children she and her family have helped, and how much they as a family, have positively impacted the lives of so many children.