A KIND-hearted couple have taken to foster caring for the first time like they have been doing it for years.

John and Lynsey Cavill, from Lowton, decided to foster two sisters with severe behavioural issues, Lucy, 10, and Anna, eight, last July.

The sisters had five placement breakdowns before meeting the couple, who were given training by Wigan Council ahead of fostering them.

Lynsey said: “John and I had spoken about fostering for a couple of years.

“I have always worked with children, most recently with those who have special educational needs, so my careers have given me some skills that have helped with managing Lucy and Anna.

“However, the training opportunities offered by the council to me and John, who has no previous experience in this area, have been fantastic.”

The Cavill’s have three older children aged 34, 32 and 23, who have all built strong relationships with the sisters.

Lynsey added: “Initially, Lucy and Anna were really unsettled and we needed an awful lot of help from the supervising social workers and our support worker.

“Nothing was too much for them and they were there day or night to give us guidance, whether it was a phone call or an extra visit.

“This amazing level of support has been instrumental in us being able to provide the best home and family environment for Lucy and Anna.”

Lynsey and John have been given help from an educational psychologist and the borough’s mental health service (CAMHS) to learn more about attachment strategies and reassurance.

The couple’s youngest child grew up living with attention deficit disorder (ADHD) which has led to them empathising with the sisters’ needs more strongly.

As well as fitting in comfortably with the Cavill family, the girls have received positive feedback from their school teachers and have developed friendships with other children.

James Winterbottom, director of children’s services with at the council, said: “Through our scheme, The Deal for Foster Carers, we are committed to ensuring our foster carers have the right training and support so they can provide the best home for our young people.

“We assess all of our fostering cases differently in order to provide a bespoke service that best meets the needs of both the child and their carer.

“By giving Lynsey and John the opportunity to work with specialists, they can encourage the girls to develop.

"It is clear that Lucy and Anna have flourished in the Cavill’s care and the girls’ initial concerns of the placement breaking down have been squashed.

“We are always looking for high-quality foster carers and promise to do everything in our power to give our foster carers the skills and support they need.”

The girls' support worker takes them to school twice a week and regular after-school activities to check how they are doing and provide Lynsey and John with some respite.

If you are interested in fostering with Wigan Council visit wigan.gov.uk/fostering.

Lucy and Anna’s names have been changed for security reasons.