Kaisha knows what it’s like to be a teenager who feels unheard and alone. At 13, Kaisha could no longer stay with her own family.
She entered several external foster care placements that did not work for her, before arriving at a MacKillop residential care home in Melbourne, which turned out to be a space that allowed her to thrive.
“I settled in very quickly and I found the staff and other residents there really helpful and supportive. I loved living there. My time there included many obstacles, but despite this, I persevered and focused on studying. There’s still a stigma about being in residential care, but that doesn’t reflect the reality of a lot of kids,” Kaisha said.
21-year-old Kaisha is determined to play an active part in changing the perception of residential care. She joined MacKillop’s Young Ambassador Group to advocate for the young people currently living in residential care.
Our collective experience is helping to shape the future of residential care at MacKillop. It is great to see our voices being listened to as we know what needs to change.
Soon to finish her degree in Psychological Science, Kaisha plans to work in education psychology.
