My Life in Foster Care | Casey's Fostering Story | Community Foster Care | UK Foster Experience
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Published 2023-03-31
The thirteen year old Casey eventually found herself with Community Foster Care carers where she stayed for the following five years until moving on at 18. Luckily for us, Casey, has been a really active member of our community and continues to be. Not only did she get involved in our residential trips and activities, she has shared her story with foster carers, been involved in training and advising from the viewpoint of a looked after young person.
We are so grateful to have such a kind, self aware young woman working with us - a foster care agency - when she could have chosen, and would have been fully within her rights to, get as far away from 'the system' as possible. Instead, Casey has chosen to take her experiences and use them to help others, to help other children and young people who might be going through similar to know that they are not alone and that there are people out there who understand and want to help. Casey's selflessness and drive is a constant inspiration to us at Community Foster Care and we are very proud of her achievements and all the ways she continues to be involved in our charity.
To be entrusted with sharing her life story is huge and a responsibility we do not take lightly. We are thrilled to be seeing more opportunities come her way, including an upcoming BBC documentary, and have no doubt that Casey is just at the start of her journey to making big change.
Read more about Casey here - TBC
Read about Casey's welcome boxes initiative here -www.communityfostercare.co.uk/news-archives/how-ca…
Video by Hannah Reynolds
All Comments (21)
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What an amazingly strong wonderful person you are Casey. Jesus Christ cares so much for you and cares about all the abuse they put you through. God will deal with those abusers. You are so precious to God the Father
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I can empathize. I spent the time from when I was 1 month old to 3 and a half in foster care. Went through a failed adoption with every kind of abuse you can imagine and went back into foster care when I was 15. Please get the psychological help you need. I didn’t and found myself, at the age of 50 basically almost out of thin air an alcoholic. My kids had left home so I didn’t have to keep it together.
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Thank you for sharing, Casey. You are a very brave woman! I am currently fostering a teenager, and I have a daughter of my own (11 years old). The dynamics can get very tricky. Stories like yours can motivate and encourage myself and both my girls.
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This girl is processing her trauma at 18 years old which is massive, it's absolutely critical to do this as soon as possible, not for status and riches, but for true wealth which is a healthy mind, the true currency of our existence. This is something I haven't done and still struggling with it to this very day. I went into care at 6 years old, I'm now 41. I have a Degree, a good job, a great woman I've been with for 23 years, 2 beautiful children at 5 and 9 however there is something missing in my memory and soul, literally, I cannot remember anything from my childhood from the age of 6 to the age of 12 years old. I now know my mind has blanked things out to keep me from breaking down with trauma but It's like an itch I have to scratch. My file is there to take and read from the social services whenever I want but I'm literally shit scared to read that file. How strange to know that I need to know my history to better myself but cannot bring myself to do it. My mind is literally fractured with a personality desperately trying to protect me from my past. This is the rantings, and true face of childhood trauma and this is my story for anyone who cares to know it.
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I am sorry you went through what you did. No child ever deserves to be treated in that way, it is so sad that many are. You are such a postive and determined person and this will surely help others who are struggling and need some hope. Finding the courage to speak up and tell a teacher about your homelife with your guardian, must have been so scary, but this just shows how courageous and determined you are. The lady who got a guardianship should never have got through the fostering application process. I am so angry with her, putting you through that after you had already sufferied and experienced neglect. My husband and I have just been approved to be foster carers, but we haven’t had a placement yet. I know it is going to challenging so we are quite nervous and hope we will be good enough. Thanks for sharing your story. Keep up the good work and I wish you all the luck in the world, you deserve it.
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Oh my god. Poor girl. I can tell she's putting on a brave face to be able to talk about it, but I can't imagine how much pain she's been in throughout her life. And I'm saying that as someone who was abused, but it wasn't nearly as bad as what she's been through. I hope she can keep on healing, it takes time but it gradually gets easier.
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Dear Casey ❤ You should be so proud of yourself,I so admire you as person 🙌🏼 Thank you so much, watching your video as been so educational to me answering and or explaining questions as I’m looking into fostering, thank you so much 💐 I really wish you get a podcast🙌🏼
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Currently in the process of taking on my cousin on.. I’m researching trying to learn. Thank you for your story! For what you have endured you have better self awareness than most 30 year old I know Good luck to you and your family ❤
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Well-done for using your pain to help others. People who have gone through experiences are the best to help others because they walked the road. Well done.
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I wish you the best and a bright future. Thank you for sharing your story Casey! <3
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Casey what a moving story ,from what you have been through and how inspirational you are now to other looked after children and foster carers ,I hope your story reaches out to them .I am a foster career and I was shocked at what you have been through ,but amazed at your positive outlook you have ,I know you will reach your dreams and goals in life ,I am proud of you ,you are such a strong person x
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I’m so sorry for your experience the system failed you. I hope you’re able to move past it and get therapeutic support. You deserve so much better ❤
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Casey, you are so extraordinarily brave and strong. Your story will help other children that are living similar experiences. I am a teacher and worked as a carer and I’m so glad that in the end school helped you, I hope that my children will feel safe and comfortable to confide in me too. You’re so strong and you deserve all the love and respect in the world and I’m so proud that you didn’t let your childhood bring you down but you used it as a ladder to raise you above. Thank you for being you and talking so openly ❤
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Casey, what a remarkable young lady you are. Thank you for sharing your story, you should be so proud of yourself. I admire your honesty and vulnerability that you showed but also how positive you are for the future. I wish you every success in what you want to achieve and know you will ❣️
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Casey, bless you, thank you so much for sharing. What you’ve been through no child should ever have to go through. I hope as your life moves on you have so much love and happiness always x
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What an amazing young lady!! You are definitely not alone! Continue to take one day at a time and keep travelling on the road you're on! You're not allowing the past to define you and that is amazing 😀.
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You’re really strong Casey <3
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I'm so very sorry you experienced this in your young life. May God bring you peace and joy in your life!!!❤
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This is very helpful Casey you are the epitome of a strong Girl … sorry you had to go through this x
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Casey you are an inspiration ..God Bless 🙏
