In this blog, I am going to be talking about the stigma that I have received and witnessed during my time of being in the fostering system and as a care leaver over the last couple of years. This is my own story and experiences.
As a young person, entering the foster system can be extremely scary and mind wondering as for many it can make us feel and think about why am i here, what did i do wrong, am i really a bad person…. Well these were all the things that I felt when I arrived in my placement when I was 16.
My experience of being in the fostering system is both good and bad, for the most part but for the first few weeks, they are kind of fuzzy and hazy as during this period I was recovering from my time within hospital and from my suspected overdose at the time. The first few weeks of being in care was somewhat hard, as I was coming to terms with being in care and the fact of being diagnosed with an anxiety and depression diagnosis, but during this time, I still was able to feel somewhat safe.
During my time of being in care, there was so much stereotypes regarding being in care, especially when linking it to the media. In my time of being in care, a lot of my friends asked me if being in care was the same as it is shown on TV, but what i realised was that it wasn’t, the hard way.
Being in the system, showed me and taught me that even when someone doesn’t have a lot, they are still able to achieve the type of life that they want. This came from the fact that during my time of being at home, a lot of the time it was said that once you enter the fostering system, your life is basically taken away from you and you won’t be able get the career and life that you want.
My experience of this is that this is not true, and I am an example of this. Being in foster care, can in fact be difficult and can make you feel that you don’t want to do anything, but being able to talk to your carer and have the support of your friends helps this a lot…… it did for me.
So, if i was to give care experienced people a message from my own experience, it would be never give up on what you want to do and never listen to the stigma that is told when your in care. Sometimes being in the foster care system can be very hard, and challenging, but you will always have the support and help you need to get to where you want to be. Never feel that you can’t talk to your foster carers or social worker/ personal advisor, they are always there for you no matter what, all you need to do is ask them for support and help and I’m sure they will be willing to give this to you.
Being in care is never what anyone wants when you are young and dealing with the issues of growing up, but always know that you will be able to get to where you want to be. It might not feel like it right now, but over time you will be able to get to where you want to be.
By Anonymous Care Experienced Blogger.
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