Joe Swash was left wanting to look after all the teenagers in care he met after being left in pieces due to the "heartbreaking" and desperate state of England's care system. The actor made a BBC documentary about the crumbling care system after reading into a Government review into childrens' social care.
The review found that the system has been hugely underfunded for more than a decade by successive Conservative governments, The Mirror reports. Joe's mum, Kiffy, has been a foster carer for 15 years, which was another major factor for him making the documentary.
Joe is now determined to foster children with wife Stacey Solomon once their own children are older. The couple, who tied the knot at their incredible family home last summer, have six children between them; Zachary and Leighton, Stacey's sons from two previous relationships; Harry, Joe's son from a previous relationship; and their three children, Rex, Rose and Belle.
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Reflecting on the young people he met, Joe said that many of them were clearly struggling. He said: "I wanted to do more for them, there's not much I can do apart from shining a light on the situation and that was a real struggle.
"I just wanted to take them all home with me, I just wanted to parent them, but I couldn’t, which was sad."
The I'm A Celebrity 2008 winner added: "Anyone who met these teenagers would come away and feel guilty and feel like they’ve let them down in some way."
Joe focuses on older teenagers who are about to leave the care system but are not prepared for adulthood. Many teenagers in care often feel isolated once they hit 18, as they no longer have a support network, and have no family.
Those in care are said to be four times more likely to have a criminal record than other children, and are also more vulnerable to being groomed or lured into gangs. Joe is very proud of his foster carer mum, Kiffy, who was widowed when his younger sister, Shana, was just two years old.
Kiffy has looked after Daniel, Joe's foster brother, since he was eight years old. Now 18, Daniel is heading off to university thanks to Kiffy's support, despite the fact that none of her own children made it to university themselves.
"If it wasn’t for you, no one would have seen Daniel’s potential," Joe said to Kiffy.
"We love him," Kiffy said. "He’s always going to be part of our family.
"Look at Dan now. He’s a confident, handsome, intelligent, stable, loved child. And it shows. My work is done."
Joe has said that he and Stacey are both considering fostering in the future, as his former Loose Women star wife has been a "massive support" for Daniel. He said: "When the kids are old enough, we’ll think about fostering.
"We love kids and Stacey is on the same page as me. She watched my mum’s journey, she’s watched Daniel’s journey. She’s been a massive support."
Joe is moved to tears in his upcoming documentary, Joe Swash: Teens in Care, as he meets youngsters who have been failed by the care system. Sisters Rachel and Leah were separated for years and wrongly told by social workers that the other did not like them and wanted no contact, whilst Casey was abused by her foster carer's new partner over the course of two years from when she was just ten years old.
Meanwhile, Daniel is struggling to make ends meet on benefits. Having lived in three children's homes growing up, his world fell apart following the death of his nan.
"Ever since she’s gone I feel like a part of me is missing now," he says.
Tearfully, Joe admits: "I found it difficult leaving them, then coming home to my family, and having a laugh and feeling the love and warmth of my house, I felt guilty."
Joe Swash: Teens in Care, airs on July 11 at 9pm on BBC1.
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