Staff members from a specialist trauma informed foster care agency are celebrating the company's 21st birthday.

Newfocas operates from offices on Buckley High Street and have foster carers throughout North Wales, Wirral and Cheshire West areas.

They are currently recruiting potential carers across these areas, with the necessary attributes and qualities to provide a safe and nurturing home to a foster child.

The company's founder, Helen Taubman, who continues as its managing director said: "Foster care is a valuable care option for thousands of children, who for a variety of reasons, are unable to live with their birth family."

Helen, a senior level social worker, has been a foster carer assessor for more than 37 years.

Initially, she worked as a social worker in Liverpool, Wirral and later Flintshire areas and has considerable experience in the sector.

Helen was part of the steering group for Merseyside Fostering and Adoption Consortium and has been part of a number of Welsh Assembly Government working groups.

She has also worked in mental health, child and family services and Child Protection and is also a qualified probation officer, having worked with high-risk offenders and with the Victim Liaison Scheme for victims of serious crime.

Newfocas was set up by Helen in 2000, as she felt there was a need to offer support to children who having experienced acute trauma, required, "more than average support", to experience a healthy home life in a family setting.

The company's reputation within the industry for delivering this, ensures it continues to receive high volumes of referrals each day, from local authorities across England and Wales and their specialist placements are highly sought after.

Helen said: "I am exceptionally proud of my staff and foster carers past and present for what they have collectively achieved together, over the last 21 years, which has resulted in the company achieving good outcomes for a high proportion of our children.

"We have been able to stabilise the lives of some children who may otherwise have entered residential or secure services."

Helen shared that many of Newfocas' first placements are now adults themselves, with settled lives and having their own families.

The support they experienced while with Newfocas, continues informally for many young people through their foster families with whom they maintain contact.