Modern Family

John Guthrie and Dennis Cash never wanted kids. In fact, they had never even discussed the idea. But 20 years ago, an ad in the local paper made them stop and think – did they have what it takes to foster a child? Ignoring the doubts of friends and overcoming their own misgivings about how they may be perceived as a same sex couple, they decided to become foster parents. And, despite a rocky start and some bumps along the way, ‘the daughters’ and ‘their Dads’ have morphed into a remarkable 21st-century family. After two decades of fostering and mentoring teenage girls from diverse backgrounds, including Africa and Afghanistan, John and Dennis are the proud fathers of a growing family. In this intimate tale of domestic life, we hear what it’s like to foster and be fostered – the pratfalls, the pitfalls and the complicated joys that only family can bring.