Most children have one place they call home where they will play as toddlers, sulk as teenagers and return with their own children when they are adults. They will spend almost every night of their childhood there and will never refer to anywhere else as home.

However, a percentage of the population's youngsters are not this lucky. For various reasons they have to be looked after by foster carers for a period of time as their parents are unable to care for them. Whether this is due to sickness, a breakdown in relationships or a court order, being fostered is never easy for a child. But there are many potential foster carers out there who could make it a pleasant experience and gain personal satisfaction too.

David Taylor is chairman of the Sutton Foster Care Association and has been fostering with his wife and family for nearly five years. He said: "Someone once said to me that people become adopters to meet their own needs and desires to be a parent. People become foster carers in order to meet the needs of the children.

"There is wonderful distinction between the two and it wasn't until we had been fostering for some time that we realised the extent to which foster carers do have to meet the needs of the children. It isn't simply an extension of being a parent to your own children. Looked after children have very different needs."

At present Sutton Council is trying to encourage residents to consider becoming foster carers. A shortage has led to many children in care being moved from place to place and they do not have the security fostering is intended to provide. Siblings have to be separated and they are sometimes moved a far distance from their friends and family.

According to the British Association of Adoption and Fostering, 60,300 children in England are in the care of their local authority and 70 per cent of this number are looked after by foster carers. Whether they are not living with their family due to problems with their parents or because of personal difficulties, fostering gives these children the security of a family home. There are several types of foster care to accommodate different children in different situations. Emergency for children who just need somewhere safe to stay for a few nights, and short-term for those who need care for a couple of months while their future is decided.

Children who cannot go back to live in their family home but do not want to be adopted go into long-term foster care and those in remand after a misdemeanour are placed with a specialised foster carer by the courts. Kinship fostering is when children go to live with friends or family members who they already know and private foster care is when a child's parents have arranged for them to stay for more than 27 days with someone who is not a family member and does not have parental responsibilities.

With every type of foster care, the carers and the children are monitored by the local authorities to ensure that the arrangement is working for both parties.

Lead councillor for children Tony Brett-Young encouraged residents to consider devoting some of their time to foster caring. He said: "It's a hugely satisfying thing to do for the right people. Foster carers can bring stability to a youngster who has had a difficult time and also give them a feeling of belonging somewhere that they might not have had if they have had a difficult background.

"It is important to give youngster a fresh start. Some carers go in with concern but concern they get into it they find it very satisfying. We offer a lot of advice and support to help. Fostering is a way to make a tremendous contribution to the community."

For more information on fostering call the Sutton fostering team on 020 8770 4250 (quote FCF2007) or click go to sutton fostering.org.uk for more information.