CHILDREN'S charity Barnados needs carers in Durham and befrienders in Darlington.

They are wanted for a project to provide help to families where a child has an illness or disability.

Barnados' Shared Care North-East help children and young people to form friendships outside their families, and to gain more experience of the outside world.

It also helps parents, brothers and sisters to take a break from their responsibilities of caring for a sick or disabled child.

The project offers three services, short-break foster care, a sitting service and a befriending scheme.

Project leader Judith Latheran said: "Befrienders will take a young person to wherever they want to go.

"It might be swimming or a bowling alley, but wherever it is, it lets that young person have the choice to make their own decisions and become as independent as they can be."

Foster carers take a child or young person into their homes for one night or a weekend.

Potential carers and befrienders go through assessments, which can take months, and involve police and social services checks, home visits, training and medical tests.

Shared Care began in 1986, and until last year existed mainly in Durham and Darlington. The success of its work means that is now has the chance to expand across the North-East.

For more information, call 0191-378 4800.