Lydia and Jonathan's fostering story
Lydia, 35, who works part-time as a social worker for the council, and her husband Jonathan Blake, 37, from Uxbridge, began fostering their first child, a 15-year-old girl, in November. The couple, who have three daughters aged five, seven and nine, said their foster child has enriched their lives.
Watch our short fostering video, where Lydia and Jonathan talk about their fostering experience
Jonathan said: "Fostering is something we always thought about because we wanted to help and support children in the community. Our foster child is someone our children look up to, and we're fortunate that she's a really great example for them as well."
Lydia added: "It's really rewarding - we are starting to get her ready for her GCSEs and she's doing really well."
Lydia said: "The payments and incentives from Hillingdon Council have been really useful. We've got a Merlin pass and we're looking forward to days out together. We got our foster child just before Christmas and it meant we could buy her presents and it all felt like one big family, which was great.
"With the rising cost of living, having another child does bring extra expenses, but thanks to Hillingdon's generous package, we haven't had to worry about food shopping or higher utility bills.
"The support from the council has been fantastic throughout. Our social worker is brilliant - from the moment our foster child moved in with us we had regular visits and phone calls, and we still do now. We find the support is invaluable."
Could you be a foster carer like Lydia and Jonathan?