When children and young people come in to residential care, they have experienced significant challenges.
Some may have lived in multiple homes, others may have experienced significant trauma. They come into a home with other young people they haven’t met, and are cared for by staff, whose caring and skilled approach supports young people to navigate their challenges; heal from their past; connect with their family, where possible; engage in school; and grow into confident young adults.
Below we share snapshots of stories of young people in residential care, and how they were supported to overcome their adversity.
Learning to express his emotions
Like all children, young people in care can often require help to learn how to express their emotions. This can be challenging for some young people, due to the complexities of their past.
Zach*, thanks to his hard work and the support he received, was able to make great progress in his ability to express himself.
He had experienced a lack of stability and belonging and, for a short time, he had to leave the residential care home. With the support of MacKillop staff, Zach was able to eventually return, when it was safe to do so.
Often struggling with his verbal communication, Zach wanted to thank his care team for how they had helped him. He was encouraged by his care team to articulate his feelings in a letter.
With support to write the letter, it became a powerful expression of Zach’s wants, desires, experiences, and fears, with the hope of remaining in the home where he felt safe and secure. The process of writing the letter was a meaningful way for Zach to voice his feelings and feel heard and valued by those who cared for him.
Success in embracing herself
Jean*, a young person from a multicultural background, struggled with her identity and heritage. She would often feel uncomfortable with her cultural identity, despite having a safe space in a foster home.
Recognising the critical role of cultural identity in fostering a sense of belonging, the MacKillop team actively encouraged Jean to maintain and celebrate her heritage.
Jean was supported to share her cultural practices, particularly through cooking traditional meals for the home. This not only allowed her to express pride in her culture but also helped build her leadership skills, creating a deeper sense of community and mutual respect among all the residents and staff in the home.
Seemingly small moments like this underline the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive environment that nurtures the identity and self-esteem of the every young person in the home.
Trusting is hard but it takes time
Having experienced hardship in her early life, Jane* was very angry and standoffish during her time in care.
It was, therefore, a priority to build a sense of trust in the team, the other young people in the home, adults in general, and the system designed to care for her. This would be a challenge due to Jane’s past experiences.
Jane’s relationship with her family was strained, particularly her relationship with her mother. Her mother felt Jane was in the wrong and had been the main cause of the family relinquishing care. There was a lack of boundaries in their relationship, and their connection therefore needed to be managed carefully.
To support this important connection, it was important that Jane’s mother was helped to understand her child’s behaviour. The team began to focus on this, by building positive rapport and keeping Jane’s mother updated on her child’s progress.
Over time, the nurturing attitudes, combined with the calming support of those working in the residential care home, led to Jane trusting the team around her. She began to feel more assured in herself and could form positive connections with other young people and adults – including her mother.
Stories like these show the depth of care provided to children and young people in residential care. If you have ever considered working in residential care, or would like to know more about it, click the button below.
*Names changed to protect privacy
