We couldn't live without her now: Leeds couple on the joy of fostering

We couldn't live without her now-that's what Leeds foster parents Sarah and Xhimi Tafani say about the power of sharing their home with a child.

- by Nicola Adam

Foster parents Sarah and Xhimi from Leeds with their birth children

Sarah, 46, and Xhimi, 50, have been caring for their foster daughter since 2022 and even committed to a loft conversion to make the extra space needed for a child.

When their own two children reached their teens Xhimi floated the idea of having some more babies, but Sarah suggested fostering instead knowing how many children in Yorkshire needed a family. At the start of their journey, Xhimi wasn't sure if they had made the right decision.

Sarah said: "There was a conversation we had early on where Xhimi said 'What have we done? I'm not sure if this is for me'.

"Not long later, we were going on holiday to celebrate Xhimi's 50th birthday and our foster daughter sadly couldn't come with us because her passport didn't arrive in time-otherwise she would have been there.