LOVE and laughter are clearly apparent in the home of Highlands mother, Yael Abraham.
Hers is not a traditional family, but it is one that works.
Ms Abraham is a foster mother who has taken on the permanent care of six children from the same family.
And she is reveling in the chance to give her young charges a loving home life and every opportunity for the future.
The 52-year-old retired solicitor, began her role as a foster mother in 2006 when she took on the care of four young sisters.
The youngsters, now aged 12, 10, 5 and 4, have continued to live with Ms Abraham.
Two younger siblings, boy and girl twins, joined Ms Abraham's growing family after they were born in 2007.
The twin daughter was born with extensive medical problems from birth and suffers ongoing medical and learning difficulties but this is no obstacle for Ms Abraham who has made a life-long commitment to her growing brood.
Ms Abraham also hopes to secure custody of a seventh youngster, a boy, born into the same family late last year.
He is currently being cared for by another foster family.
Ms Abraham, who specialised in family law during her time as a solicitor, said she had long held a passion to reach out to children in difficult situations.
"Long before I became a foster mother I had worked voluntarily with homeless children through the Exodus Foundation and Wayside Chapel in Sydney," she said.
"I never had a desire to bring my own children into the world because I believed there were already enough underprivileged and struggling children in society.
"I often picked up homeless children from railway stations in the city as part of my voluntary work.
"I also had a dream of possibly adopting an underprivileged child in China, Columbia or Ethiopia."
Ms Abraham said she became well aware there were "many children in need" on her home turf and she was keen to come to the party.
She said she realised that a person did not need to give birth to a child to experience a sense of motherhood.
Ms Abraham said she decided to complete the training to become a foster mother in 2005.
Within months of completing her training she was given her first opportunity to care for a child.
"The department (DOCS) asked me if I would be interested in caring for a two-year-old girl," she said.
"I soon realised she was one of four young girls from the same family to be located in foster homes.
"I didn't want to see this family separated so I asked to care for all four girls.
"They have been with me ever since and I have full care of the four girls as well as their younger twin brother and sister until they are 18 years old."
As far as Ms Abraham is concerned the 18-year-old age limit is simply a formality.
"We are a loving, happy family - we love each other, we respect each other, we share our thoughts and feelings and we grow together - we are a family and this will go well beyond the age of 18," she said.
Ms Abraham said during her time in family law she had always emphasised the importance of parents to consider children first in any separation or divorce.
"It is my belief that parents should not put each other down in front of the children because this can be very traumatic to the child - they often blame themselves for the situation," she said.
"Children benefit when they see a working relationship between their parents even if they have gone their separate ways.
"I have maintained the same policy when it comes to the care of my children.
"Never will my children hear me be negative about their birth mother or her extended family.
"I have always aimed to foster a working relationship with their birth family."
It is a formula that appears to be working with all six children thriving in their foster home.
She proudly speaks of the love and laughter that fills her home and the achievements of her children who are "thriving in their school and social life".
"The children call me mum and I will do anything it takes to ensure that I keep them together."
Ms Abraham said her efforts to care for the seventh child born into the family had been hindered by DOCS policy to limit the number of children in any foster home to six unless there were special circumstances.
She said she believed the need to keep a family together was a special circumstance.
"However, DOCS is still concerned that it might be too much for me," she said.
"They have speculated on several things including the fact that I have daughters heading into the difficult teenage years, one of my children has special needs and even my age.
"As far as I am concerned these are the challenges faced by many families on a daily basis and I am up for those challenges because this is my family.
"I have proved my commitment to the children under any circumstances - I spent several months nursing my twin daughter back to health at a time when doctors were convinced she would die and I didn't even have custody of her at that point.
"I have gone to the length of renting a house opposite my home where I would accommodate a nanny to help me with the care of the children.
"Above all my children desperately want their baby brother to be a permanent part of their life. "The two oldest girls wrote a moving piece that looked at how their brother must feel because he is not with the rest of the family - sadly at the moment the children are limited to seeing their baby brother for only an hour a fortnight."
Ms Abraham said her life had been enriched by her foster children and she made herself emotionally available to them every minute of every day.
"They are my friends and my soul mates I want to ensure their life in a family unit is complete," she said.
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