Aged 4 I was sexually assaulted aged 7 I wrote my first suicide note aged 8 I was taken into care aged 16 I tried taking my life aged 19 I went to prison aged 20 I was diagnosed with anorexia #SuicidePreventionDay
Aged 21 I wake up in my own bed in my own house driving my own car starting my full time job in the field I have so much passion for next week along with my first day back to college having completed numerous diplomas #SuicidePreventionDay
Things do get better it’s ok to hurt it’s ok to be angry it’s ok to want to shut down but please hold on there is hope there is help and you have a voice please talk #hope#youhaveafuture#progress#SuicidePreventionDay
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The true impact of a foster career and the effects and relationships built is something that’s so hard to describe, even if it doesn’t work out with each placement I’ve learnt something different good and bad #fostercare#careleaver#care#careexperienced
I went into foster care when I was 8 years old something that was so unimaginable being separated from the only chaotic life I knew, I was petrified but to this day there’s a guy I call my dad who happened to be the first foster parents I went to #fostercare#careleaver#love
But 7 years ago we sadly lost him the guy I called my dad and I will forever hold all the lessons he taught me all the laughs we had, the ups and the downs the holidays, the pictures, the games of pick up sticks the guy I will forever call my dad #FosterCare#careleaver#family
I am one of 8 children today I saw my 18 year old brother who I haven’t seen for about 5/6 years we was separated about 13 years ago this is the same brother at the age of 7 I physically sat on to stop social services taken him away #care#careleaver
People often forget how important sibling contact is, people often forget how much still lives with me, how much I remember, how much I wish I could have done more, how much I blame myself for us all being separated I will never get this time back #care#trauma#separation
I will always sit and wonder what if how things could have been different if only I tried to protect my family more how much time I’ve missed of my siblings life’s how many birthdays Christmas I’ve missed how them days will never be the same #care#siblings#separation
14/15 years ago I met a man who at the time I didn’t realise to this day how much of an impact he had on me, how much he taught me, how much he loved me, how much he cared and the time I lived with him i never respected him as much as I wish I had now
The complete disrespect I had at the time in my life that was so chaotic is just unimaginable now but that guy still stuck by me that guy was my first ever foster parent #careleaver#fathersday#fosterparent#childincare
That guy everyday I call my dad that guy treated me like his own, loved me like his own and even after I left I knew he still cared we rekindled and that’s the guy I called my dad #FosterCare#FathersDay#careleaver
#careday20
As someone who is now a care leaver
As someone who’s spent time in care for a number of years
As someone who’s experienced extreme trauma
As someone who been abused
As someone who’s been to prison
As someone who’s tried taking their own life
As someone who’s battled with mental health issues for many years
As someone who lives in a deliberating and tortuous mind everyday
As someone who was failed by the care system
As someone who used to be ashamed to be that person in care
As someone who somewhat still blames themselves for being in care
As someone who was separated from siblings due to being in care
As some people used to say i wasn’t wasn’t going very far because I was in care