Carer of the Year nominee – Donna Ellerton
Carer of the Year nominee – Donna Ellerton
Donna Ellerton and her late husband, Paul, have fostered 56 babies over the past two decades and adopted three children alongside raising their five birth children.
Now gran-of-11 Donna, from Hanley, is about to welcome her 57th foster child despite sadly losing her husband.
“Fostering is my life. I absolutely love it,” she said. “Paul loved fostering too. It was a great passion for both of us. He really loved making a difference to all the young lives that came to us, knowing that we were their first stepping stone.
“When we were first approved as foster carers in 2002 we began with one foster child, within two weeks we had two foster children and not long after that we ended up with three. Over the years we’ve had up to four foster children with us at any one time, mostly babies.”
The couple went on to adopt three of the children. Their eldest birth child is aged 35 and their youngest adopted child is just three years old.
Donna has been nominated as a Carer of the Year in the Your Heroes Awards by Fern Millward from Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s fostering team.
Fern said: “Donna has been a devoted foster carer for a number of years and has provided a much needed stable, safe and loving home environment for numerous children with her late husband Paul.
“Donna has had a difficult year, despite this she continued to care for two young children who experienced a lot of unsettlement and placement moves before finally settling with Donna and Paul. Donna and Paul provided the children with stability that they desperately needed and lots of love and attention.
“Despite personal challenges Donna continues to be professional and so supportive of both social care and the children. Nothing is ever too much trouble for Donna and she is always accommodating.
“Donna and Paul took everything in their stride and made life so much easier for me as a social worker, which sounds small but was a huge help given the stresses and demands at the present time.
“Donna is a real credit to the city council and after a much-needed break following the sad passing of Paul, I know that she is itching to continue to provide the children of Stoke-on-Trent with a loving and inviting home.”