Sheryl reflects on the last few years, she said: “I can still remember, Ashley had been with us for three years and he had a really bad day. He spent the whole day smashing up his bedroom, punching me and telling me how much he really hated me – it must have gone on for about eight hours and I remember at the end of the day I was sat on the floor in his bedroom, and he was sat between my legs, and I was just holding him so he couldn’t hurt himself.
“He was crying, and I was crying.
“I said to him, baby you’re not going anywhere, and he said why, and I said because I love you and he turned round, and he looked at me and said you're my mum now and that was it.”
Ashley is now 26 years old. He is married and he's got his own house. He has two children with another one on the way.
Sheryl describes Ashley as an exemplary human being, she said: “If I don’t do anything good in the rest of my life – I did Ashley.”
Reflecting on her proudest moments, Sheryl said: “The thing I’m most proud of is my boys. ISP are so important to the children as well. It goes without saying that they are important to foster parents too.
“There were times when I phoned up and I could have cried, well I have cried and there have always been people there that have supported us and given the help and information and advice we needed.
“The children feel part of ISP, and I’ve had children who have said I know it's not working with my parents and I’m sad to leave them but please don’t let me leave ISP. Please find me somewhere else in ISP.
“I think that speaks volumes. It's just the fact that ISP will find the right therapy. It's not about having a therapist. We’ve got so many different types of therapists. We’ve got play therapists and art therapists. Ash had equine therapy because he liked horses and was calm around horses so that’s what they did with him.
“It's not one size fits all – that’s the whole therapeutic part. ISP will find what’s right for the child and the family to support that child to go through life in a much more positive way.
“I’m going to be at ISP forever. I would love to know the exact number of children whose lives ISP have touched.
“Sometimes a child could be placed in ISP for a few weeks, but it will make a difference to their lives.”
