A COUPLE who have fostered and adopted children are setting up their own charity to help others.

Jo and Alan Parsons have set up In Their Shoes, which aims to help children with mental health difficulties and families across Herefordshire by providing support and advice.

The couple began to foster children after their three children grew up and flew the nest.

They fostered for seven years and then went on to adopt two primary school age children.

Jo said: "We adopted our last two children which have both got mental health issues and suffer with foetal alcohol syndrome, among other things.

"One of our grandchildren suffers with Tourettes. We have lived the life and learned the hard way."

As a result they have set up the charity to offer non-judgemental help and will assist, where possible, with funding to support early assessment and suitable resources that may aid children within school.

In Their Shoes will also offer regular support groups for families, where there will be talks by professionals and different types of therapy available.

She said of the support groups: "That is going to be a nice place to go. The children can play. Parents are going to go there knowing that other parents will not be judgemental, and they can drink coffee and have a chat."

In Their Shoes will focus their support on children aged up to 16, who are at risk of becoming disengaged from education and socially isolated due to poor mental health, and also recognise and look to support the wellbeing of the parents and siblings.

Jo added: "We have learned the foster way. We have learned the adopted way. We have learned through our own children and grandchildren."

They are fundraising at the moment and are also looking for volunteers.

To offer support email intheirshoes@outlook.com or go to www.intheirshoes2017.com