A FAMILY touched by the plight of youngsters living in warzones told how they were inspired to foster an 18-year-old asylum seeker from Libya.

Amy Thomas, 30, and husband Craig, 38, decided to apply to become foster parents after meeting carers at the play group she worked at.

The couple, from Basildon, who have two children of their own - Charlie, seven, and five-year-old Bethan - had their application approved in 2014.

They have since welcomed multiple foster placements, but are currently looking after an 18-year-old from Libya. She will stay with them until she is 21.

Mrs Thomas, 30, said: “When you see what’s happening in some of these countries, it’s got to pull on the heart strings.

“What a lot of people don’t appreciate is that a lot of the children from places like Syria and Libya don’t come from nothing. They’re originally from very normal, loving families and have been quite well off but all of that has been taken away.

“It was suddenly too dangerous for them to go out and they had to move from house to house because it wasn’t safe where they were.

“Having known happiness and had a future, they have had that ripped away from them and are having to start again in a completely different country.”

The family, who have decided not to reveal the name of their foster daughter, have relished the challenge.

Mrs Thomas said she is delighted with the progress her foster daughter has made.

She added: “Some people have their reservations about fostering asylum seeking children but they’re no different to our children.

“They may speak a different language and be from a different culture, but nothing else is any different and we haven’t found it an issue at all.

“We actually really enjoyed overcoming the language barrier. When she first came to us she was speaking no English at all and now she speaks fantastically, to the extent we can even have a laugh and a joke.

“To witness how much she has grown and see her become much more positive about her future has been so rewarding.”

The family have spoken out as it was revealed about 100 new foster families will be needed across the county this year with the impending arrival of more unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

Visit essexadoptionandfostering.co.uk/fostering