This month I’ve had the pleasure of having a very inspiring young man on daily respite at my house who made me think about how difficult it’s been for young people in care in these crazy times.
I would like to say a few words to them:
“Not only have you a difficult past, but you’ve had your ‘safe’ routines swept away by a lockdown you may not even understand.
Safe routines were swept away by lockdown
“For those who still see their birth parents, many of you have had to cope with just video calls for nearly three months. How hard that must be when you’ve needed their hug or reassurance that all is well.
“Activities such as after school clubs, football, dance, scouts, those places that helped you let off steam suddenly disappeared without a date of a return.
“The reassurance that your social worker will be coming next week for a chat was replaced by a video call on, most probably on your carer’s phone.
“School, although possibly a bit of a love/ hate thing, was your safe place and a chance to get to see your friends, but then it either closed or became so different that it just wasn’t school at all.
“Your carer became your teacher. At first it may have been fun, but for some the crippling anxiety of dealing with school -work suddenly seeped into your home. My children were upset as I taught them long division slightly different from their teacher! It must have been so much harder if you’d spent months learning something a different way and now your carer couldn’t quite fathom what that way was.
‘I am incredibly proud of how all my children have coped’
“I’m incredibly proud of how all my children have coped but I’m also proud of all the rest of the Dorset young people have dealt with lockdown too.
“It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve floundered (believe me I have too) it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve binge watched something on Netflix (yep been there) it matters that you got through in one piece. Even if it’s two pieces, us carers can stick you back together.
“Love to all my fellow carers too. We’ve nearly managed three months 😬🤪 Super nanny has nothing on us. Xx
Well spoken. Carers are the forgotten essential workers but deserve to be recognised.Those of us with “special needs” will have an uncertain future
with or without Covid, our coming years can only tell the damage that’s been done but a carers devotion will be a blessing
Thankyou
What a lovely, lovely positive message of support and encouragement to our youngsters who are struggling to make sense of the bewildering time we are in. We salute all the amazing foster careers in our community for their patience, love and support in the lives of their children, helping them to develop and achieve their true potential. Thank you And ?God bless to all of them. 😘
Thank you for your honesty and modern approach to this. Really enjoyed reading it. I am a new foster carer and passed just after lockdown happened. I have been waiting for months and then a few more added on. I am hoping August will be my month. Thanks again and stay safe xx