WITHLOVEANDNURTURING,KIDSCANSHINETOFULLPOTENTIAL

THE idea of love within the care system is completely revolutionary to me. I had never heard anyone talk about it before but it makes perfect sense. Every young person in care needs someone who’s always there to love them unconditionally. Being loved hasn’t always been easy for me. Love means trust and for me that was petrifying. I used to run away from my foster parents as a “normal” home environment scared me. I didn’t know what a loving home was like.

I used to question whose dinner was on the table, as I had had to fend for myself from a young age. It took me a while to realise I wasn’t on my own.

Love means having someone to fight your corner. Because of my foster parents, I was able to get additional tuition after school. They broke down the barriers that I faced and helped me succeed.

If it wasn’t for my foster parents, I wouldn’t be where I am today. They made me feel loved every day.

Yet it took five wasted years of my early life before anyone stood up and spoke up for me. Never have I felt love of any kind from the social work system.

I have had about 12 social workers in 14 years, so it’s been a huge struggle for me to open up and get used to new people asking me the same questions, digging up my life from the dirt.

Even now at 22, I am referred to as a client, I am not a client. I am a person with feelings, who has fought all her life with the help of two people who gave up their life to give me the one I have, to be accepted into normal society, and most importantly to be loved.

I want future kids to thrive, to do well in education, but most importantly, I really do think that with love and nurturing, kids can shine to their full potential but this love is not being shown from the system that is in place right now.

We can’t prescribe love, it’s a feeling but we can create an environment where it can thrive. This is why I’m happy that Who Cares? Scotland are campaigning for a lifetime of love for care-experienced people.