Felicia's journey into care

Felicia, now 16, entered foster care five years ago with her younger sister Maya. They have been living with their loving foster carers, Theresa and Jenny, ever since.

How being in care changed my life

“My mother found it hard to look after both me and my sister, there was a lot of alcohol, drug abuse and violence in the house.

This made me feel scared and upset sometimes. We had social workers and police coming to the house a lot and this didn’t always end well. You didn’t know what was going to happen and how people were going to react and stuff.

I stayed home most days, and rarely went to school, school was far, and mum said this was as we didn’t have the money for me to travel in, this could sometimes happen for a while.

After lots of years of police and social worker visits, we were placed in foster care. That’s when I first met Theresa and Jenny, I was 11 at the time. We have been with them since.”

“I have been living with Theresa and Jenny now for 5 years, I consider them family, they have done everything to make me feel at home. I like the feeling of knowing I’m safe. Having people around I can talk to, who will listen, and the routine of meals, bedtime and school has become something I enjoy. My foster carers are great, the way they care for us, and they are always there for us helping us with problems and I feel part of their family now too.”

The hardest part about being in care

“When I first came into care, I wasn’t sure how everything was going to work as it all happened at once, but it helped that I was with, and could stay with, my sister as we supported each other, and I didn’t feel so alone. It took a while to get use to the changes but once we got the hang of rules and routines, I started to feel more comfortable and happier at my new home.”

Settling into my new home

“I feel like I adjusted pretty quickly, my foster carers did a lot to help us adjust, every Christmas we get a box of biscuits as that was what I used to get when I lived with my mum. When we first arrived, they welcomed me and my sister, letting us play with all of their toys, bathe us and began the steps of helping us learn basic hygiene.”

Challenges of a new home

"There were many things I didn’t know when I came into care, like having a routine for waking up and going to bed, basic hygiene, appropriate foods and drinks, and table manners. But Theresa and Jenny were patient and helped us learn."

Support I was offered

"My social worker is nice too. She listens to my problems and tries her best to help us. She visits regularly or calls. As I’m getting older, my social worker has been helping me with life skills for when I leave care."

My advice for young people in foster care

"To young people coming into care, try not to be scared or upset. If you feel that way, talk to your carer, social workers, or someone you trust. They are understanding and can help support you. Give it time, and things will get better and easier."

My advice for foster carers

"To foster carers, be kind and patient with the children or young people living in your home. It’s so important to listen to them and make them feel like they can talk to you."