FOR most parents the difficult years for children known as "the terrible teens" last only a short time but Harry and Yvonne Jeffries have had a house full of teenage lads for 20 years.

And the Bredbury couple are so enthusiastic about fostering teenagers who might otherwise be left in social services-run children's homes until adulthood, that they are trying to encourage more people to consider it.

Harry and Yvonne are backing a campaign by Stockport Council to recruit more foster carers for older children, as part of Foster Care Fortnight - an annual campaign aimed at raising awareness which is co-ordinated by national charity The Fostering Network.

The couple, both 58, have three grown-up children of their own and began fostering after discovering that one of their son's friends needed a placement.

Since then, they have cared for six teenage boys on long-term placements of three or four years each, as well as several others whose stays have been shorter.

The youngsters they care for often come from difficult backgrounds but with the support of a family they are often able to go to improve at school and go on to college, jobs and even university.

Yvonne said: "The boys we foster often do have some behavioural problems and might have other issues as well, but we have been fortunate that we have been able to build up good relationships and see them move on to independence.

"Sometimes the boys can be like small children, because they have missed out on a great deal on the nurturing side and they need affection even though they are teenagers.

"We do set boundaries, and that's difficult for any teenager, but you do have to be a bit lenient with them because everyone pushes against their parents' authority at their age.

"We are always there for them to sit down and talk to us when they are ready and we just listen to them and be there for them.

"We support them through education and when they are looking for jobs and trying to get settled independently.

"Being a foster carer is very rewarding. It's not always easy, but at the end of the day to see a child come to you with lots of problems and leave to become independent is fabulous."

A spokeswoman for Stockport Council said: "A lot of people have an idealised vision of fostering involving toddlers or cute young children, but older children need foster care too.

"We do have older children in residential care but for some of them the best thing would be to be placed with foster carers.

"We are trying to give them the best possible start in life and all of the research shows that that comes from being with a family, which makes them well rounded and secure."

Fostering fortnight runs until May 22, to find out more about fostering in Stockport call 0161 947 4646.

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