When eight-year-old Jake was told he would be going for a short break at foster carer Sian’s house, he was excited at the thought of spending time with them and their children.

Jake visited Sian and her family for short stays. He would play games in the garden and computer games with the other children.

Now 26, Jake says those visits often felt like holidays and he always felt a part of the family.

“In the past, if I said I was in care people’s instant reaction would be to say I'm sorry to hear,” Jake said.

“But they shouldn’t be sorry. I see it as a really good thing to be in care because it gives young people a better life, a better opportunity at doing something they probably would never have done otherwise.”

During Foster Care Fortnight (12-25 May), the UK fostering community is celebrating the power of relationships.

In Wales, there are more than 7,000 children in care, with around half as many foster families. Foster Wales is appealing to recruit an additional 800 local authority foster carers by 2028 to address this need.

As he lived in Gwynedd, Jake continued to enjoy short visits to Sian’s house throughout his childhood in care. The bonus of more trusted and caring adults around him, even on a part-time basis, helped build an extended family he could turn to and feel part of his local community. But while studying sport nutrition at Liverpool John Moores University, his circumstances changed so Jake, aged 18, contacted Sian and her husband Owain who welcomed him into their home on a permanent basis.

With Sian and Owain’s support, Jake has gone on to establish his own business as a personal trainer and now lives independently in Liverpool. He visits home in north Wales frequently and considers them his family.

“If I have any problems or issues they are my first point of contact,” Jake said.

“I see the whole family just as sort of my family now..”

Sian said: “I’m so proud of him. He’s driven.

“Obviously I’m proud of what he’s achieved, but I’m proud of so much more than that.

“He’s got clients, he’s successful in his business but for me I take more pride in the young man he has become and that he has allowed all his experiences to shape him.

“I’m so pleased to see that he’s able to maintain relationships and that he sees us as his family.”

Alastair Cope, head of Foster Wales, said: “Foster Care Fortnight always offers a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the people who create lasting change in the lives of so many children in Wales.

“Every fostering journey relies on strong, trusting relationships to create the stability within a loving home that all children deserve. Whether between a foster carer and a child, a child with their foster siblings, or between a family and their social worker, these relationships open up new possibilities for a child’s future and help support them into successful independent lives.”