REGARDING your recent front-page story about the adoption of two boys, first let me offer sympathy to the adoptive parents.

Have you noticed the fact that "foster-parents" seem to be almost dirty words?

In the Press, the radio and television, children are warned that they will be put into foster care, as if it were a form of punishment.

Rarely do we hear any praise of adoptive, parents, foster-parents, or social workers. In all these categories there can be the odd "bad apple", as in all walks of life.

Foster-parents take over when a child has been in an unhappy situation, and has proved too difficult for its own parents to cope with. They come to foster-parents, resentful, angry, disruptive and unhappy. The foster-family must try to put right all these things. It is not an easy job.

Rules, regulations and red tape make the job more difficult.

At one time, you could have a foster child, take them into your home and make them one of the family.

This is not now possible. From the beginning you - and the child - are told that they are not one of your family. The legislation makes them feel different (outsiders). There are different rules for your own and your foster-children, which is the cause of friction from the start.

The social workers have to see that all the rules are obeyed, even if they don't agree with them.

They are in just as difficult position as the foster-parents.

Recruitment of people to do the job of fostering is getting more difficult and many are giving up.

Until there is a severe review and drastic changes, the situation will deteriorate further. We owe it to these children to be concerned.

HELENA F MORRIS,

Pershore,

Worcestershire.