A letter from a care experienced young person.
Every child needs that one person that will listen, help and protect them no matter what.
No matter the age of a child in care whether it is from birth to 18 years of age, a young person in care needs a foster carer to be there for them when their families can not. Every child needs that one person that will listen, help and protect them no matter what.
During my care experience I found that the one person that was there for me through the most difficult part of my life was my foster carer. My foster carer supported me when I lost my mum at a young age. She and the professionals helped me through my grief and gradually come to terms with my mum’s death, if it wasn’t for them I don’t know how I would have gotten through it and learnt to accept that my mum was no longer here.
All looked after children will remember the first time they are removed form home and placed into the care system. For me it was the scariest and most confusing day of my life. I didn’t fully understand why I couldn’t just go home to my family. That first night I didn’t really sleep. It was all so strange, but my foster carers made me feel at home the best they could. They kept bringing me drinks and coming and checking on me making sure I was ok.
Becoming a foster carer you are not just taking a child into your home to sleep, you are letting a child into your life to potentially become a part of your family.
I feel what the child needs the most is for you to try to understand them as a person, in turn to help them understand who they are and what they want to be. Daily tasks such as helping them with school work, learning them.
How to wash their clothes and Cook a meal, helping them keep in touch with their family as well as supporting them until they reach independence and beyond. To me this is what a good foster carer looks like.
Being a foster carer must be extremely Challenging at times, but know you really Will Make a difference to a child’s life.
So if you are thinking about it why not pick up the phone and found out a little more. There really Is a child out there that needs you.
“Children are one caring adult away from a success story.”
Ashleigh – former looked after child.
