0:00:02 > 0:00:03Good girl!
0:00:05 > 0:00:09Hello. You are very welcome to Community Life.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11Say hello to my co-presenter, Echo.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14We'll be finding out how this happy lady
0:00:14 > 0:00:18is helping her owner stay out of hospital.
0:00:18 > 0:00:19Without Echo,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22it doesn't bear thinking about what would happen to me.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24I could end up not here.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28We'll be seeing more of Echo and her pal Beau in a moment.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Also today, we'll be hearing that
0:00:30 > 0:00:34a staggering £1 billion of fundraising is gathered
0:00:34 > 0:00:35in Northern Ireland every year,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38and how charities must register their operations
0:00:38 > 0:00:41or they could face legal action.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Registration is not optional.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46If you thought you were setting up a charity and you've set up a charity,
0:00:46 > 0:00:48you must come forward and tell us you exist.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Now, the Fostering Network
0:00:58 > 0:01:00is urgently seeking new carers in Northern Ireland.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Our special reporter today is Holly,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07and she tells us that her foster carers changed her life.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Most of us love to look at our photo albums
0:01:16 > 0:01:18to remind us of our childhood.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19For me, it is very special
0:01:19 > 0:01:22because these are my foster parents Heather and Trevor,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24and they really changed my life.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28My foster parents gave me a second chance
0:01:28 > 0:01:30to be part of a loving and stable home.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32They've helped me build my confidence,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34and have pushed me to become a better person.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37But so many more foster carers are needed,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40to offer the same opportunity that I had to others.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Every year, we need at least 170 new families
0:01:46 > 0:01:47to come forward to foster.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52In particular, we need people who could foster brothers and sisters
0:01:52 > 0:01:53to keep the family together.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55We need people who would be willing and able
0:01:55 > 0:01:57to look after children with disabilities.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59And we've a particular need for people
0:01:59 > 0:02:01to look after teenagers,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04to open their homes and their hearts to those children.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07- So three ones are...- Three.- Good.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Sharon and her husband Mervyn
0:02:09 > 0:02:12have been fostering children for 16 years.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14They've helped more than 30 children,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16and they have no intention of stopping there.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Sharon, could you tell me why you decided to foster?
0:02:19 > 0:02:22It's lovely to see a child come into your home,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24and feel that you can help them
0:02:24 > 0:02:27when they're in a very difficult position in their life
0:02:27 > 0:02:30and make a difference.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32When children come and we take them for experiences
0:02:32 > 0:02:34that they've never had before - we go to the beach
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and they haven't been to the beach,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38or we take them to the zoo, we go on holidays -
0:02:38 > 0:02:41it helps us to see the whole world through their eyes all over again,
0:02:41 > 0:02:44you experience things all over again.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46I think the other thing, probably, is when we have a final outcome
0:02:46 > 0:02:49that's successful, when children go back to their parents.
0:02:49 > 0:02:50When they come home with a spelling test
0:02:50 > 0:02:53and they got all the answers right - those things are great.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56- Fifty...- Eight.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01The Fostering Network is the UK's leading fostering charity.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06It works to improve the lives and chances of children in foster care.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08In Northern Ireland,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12the Fostering Network works with all foster carers and fostering services
0:03:12 > 0:03:15to improve the lives of children in care.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Well, I went into care at eight years of age,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23and was in the one foster placement throughout my time.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26This created a stable home environment,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28as my foster carers Mary and John
0:03:28 > 0:03:31encouraged me to pursue any interests and desires,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and I went on to third-level education.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38And without them, I wouldn't be where I am today.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41My time in foster care has been amazing.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44It has changed my life in so many ways.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47It has given me opportunities I never thought I would have,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49and the support from my foster parents
0:03:49 > 0:03:52have been the biggest influence in my life.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Josephine and Sean, they brought me into their home,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57they gave me a loving family.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59They believed in me whenever I didn't believe in myself,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02and they gave me so much confidence
0:04:02 > 0:04:04to become the person that I am today.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Diane and Deirdre are both part of a new scheme
0:04:08 > 0:04:10called Step Up Step Down,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12a partnership with South Eastern Trust
0:04:12 > 0:04:14and funded by the Big Lottery.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16They step in, when needed,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18to prevent children spending time in care.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22I have been a foster carer now for near ten years,
0:04:22 > 0:04:27and I feel it's important to be able to work with the family intensely,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30to prevent the children from going into care.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34So I feel the Step Up Step Down is really important for these families.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38The Fostering Network are passionate about the difference
0:04:38 > 0:04:40foster care makes to children and young people.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45Transforming children's lives is at the heart of everything they do.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48If you think you have the skills to be a foster carer,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51The Fostering Network would love to hear from you.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Thank you.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57If you would like to learn more about becoming a foster carer,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59contact...
0:05:12 > 0:05:15Now, a new report from the Charity Commission shows
0:05:15 > 0:05:20that more than £1 billion was raised by charities here last year.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24That was by the 5,000 charities who are legally registered to operate.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28But many charities remain unregistered,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30so that amount could be much higher.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Almost three-quarters of NI charities
0:05:33 > 0:05:36have an income of £100,000 or less.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40A third have an income of £10,000 or less,
0:05:40 > 0:05:43and a quarter have an income of £5,000 or less.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46County Antrim is home to the most charities.
0:05:46 > 0:05:5057% of our charities exist to advance education,
0:05:50 > 0:05:5328% exist to advance religion
0:05:53 > 0:05:56and 2% exist to advance animal welfare.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01There could be as many as 17,500 charities operating here,
0:06:01 > 0:06:02and the Charity Commission says
0:06:02 > 0:06:05that if they want to be recognised as charities,
0:06:05 > 0:06:10they must register with them or they could potentially face legal action.
0:06:10 > 0:06:11We have legal processes
0:06:11 > 0:06:15where we will start to go after organisations of whom we are aware.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16We will potentially
0:06:16 > 0:06:18order them to register,
0:06:18 > 0:06:19and if they fail to do that,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22we will follow legal processes against the individual trustees.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24People who start up charities
0:06:24 > 0:06:26have a real burning reason to want to do that.
0:06:26 > 0:06:27There are a lot of charities out there
0:06:27 > 0:06:29and it's not always necessary to set up a new charity.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32There's probably somebody out there doing something quite similar
0:06:32 > 0:06:34who would really appreciate your help,
0:06:34 > 0:06:35and the resources you can bring.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37But those who have the drive to set up a new charity
0:06:37 > 0:06:40won't be put off by the fact that they have to be accountable
0:06:40 > 0:06:42to the public, because that's just the way a charity should be run,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45it SHOULD be run properly and accountably, and that's all we're asking for.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Now, how would you like to take Echo to work with you?
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Well, that is exactly what Wendy Smith does,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59because without an assistance dog like Echo,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01she could end up in hospital.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Echo is very important and will become more important to me.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09She'll be my lifeline and my early warning system,
0:07:09 > 0:07:10because I am unable to tell
0:07:10 > 0:07:12when my blood sugars are dropping low. So she'll warn me.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16So I would look like I'm drunk to people that don't know
0:07:16 > 0:07:17I have diabetes.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20I would conk out, potentially, behind the wheel of a car,
0:07:20 > 0:07:22so it's a very serious thing.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25So what will she actually do to alert you?
0:07:25 > 0:07:27She will nudge me with her nose.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Low down on my leg, if my sugars go low, and high up if they go high.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34So she can even tell the difference between low blood glucose levels
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and high blood glucose levels.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38And if I don't respond to that,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41she'll continue to alert me with a little bit more force,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43maybe with her paw, and jump up on me.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46And if I still don't respond, which could be the case,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48she will grab somebody else and bring them to me.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50Where are we going today, eh?
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Go and check the squirrels?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56And this is Beau, who lives with her owner in Holywood,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59another Northern Ireland assistance dog
0:07:59 > 0:08:02who makes sure that she monitors her blood sugar levels.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Good girl!
0:08:04 > 0:08:07'It's been life-changing for me. I live by myself
0:08:07 > 0:08:09'and I was constantly worried,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12'what if this happened to me during the night,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15'and I went to sleep and I slipped into a coma?
0:08:15 > 0:08:17'Well, nobody... It might be a day or two'
0:08:17 > 0:08:19before somebody found me.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21So having a dog gives me great security.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25It costs £8,000 to £10,000 during the lifetime of the dog,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28and all that is raised by ourselves.
0:08:28 > 0:08:29We've no Government funding,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31so donations and public support
0:08:31 > 0:08:32are really important to us in fundraising.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Remember, all of today's stories are on our website,
0:08:37 > 0:08:40it's bbc.co.uk/niappeals,
0:08:40 > 0:08:44and you'll also find our community noticeboard there as well.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47For now, it's goodbye from me, and it's goodbye from Echo.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49I'll see you soon. Bye-bye.