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Chelsea was taken into care at the age of 7 due to neglect and abuse. She grew up in multiple foster families supported by Futures for Children and remained in care until the age of 18. In this interview Chelsea reflects honestly on her experiences, her memories of care, and her hopes for other young people in foster care.
AN INTERVIEW WITH 'CHELSEA'
Could you provide a little background on yourself and how you are connected to Futures for Children?
“No problem, my name is Chelsea, and I was taken into care at the age of 7 for neglect and abuse. I was looked after by Futures for Children and many carers that worked for the agency. I remained in care until the age of 18.”
What is the most memorable moment from your time with Futures for Children?
“My most positive memory from Futures for Children would have to be some of the carers I was placed with. Looking back on my experience, I can tell the carers just wanted to make a positive impact.”
Do you still have contact with anyone from Futures for Children?
“Yes, I do. My first family, who looked after me. I lived with them for a total of six years; they were by far the best family I ever lived with. To this day I am still in contact with them and visit them up in Norfolk where she moved to. To me, they are some of the closest family I have.”
“Even now they always remain supportive of me and push me to achieve the best I can; in all areas of my life. I also remain in contact with a lovely lady called Polly, although I am not as close with her, she was an excellent carer, and I would always recommend her to anyone.”
What piece of advice would you give to anyone thinking of fostering?
“The advice I would give is always to show unconditional love. Sometimes, even though the journey may not always be a smooth one, the impact of showing you care can mean the difference between what path the child will take.”
How do you think your experience of fostering has positively shaped the person you are today?
“I was lucky enough to have experienced some fantastic care. In a way, even though I was looked after by several families, I feel like I have taken a little bit from everyone and feel this has and will continue to shape me as a person and a parent.”
What advice would you give to a looked‑after child that might be reading this interview?
“I would advise them to take advantage of the care and support they will receive, and never be too scared to ask for what they want or need.”
Myth Five: You must be in a relationship to foster.
Your marital status is not a factor in becoming a foster carer. We have foster carers from different backgrounds, some are single carers, and others foster as a couple (whether married or living together, with or without children).
Myth Four: Teenagers in care are more difficult to foster than younger children.
This is not true. Fostering teenagers is similar to looking after every other teenager and often can be less challenging than caring for younger children.
Myth Two: You must be older.
You must be over 21 to become a foster carer but there is no upper age limit to foster and there is no age requirement to look after a teenager. What's important to us is that you have the time to dedicate to a young person.
There are often some myths that come with fostering teenagers
Myth Three: You cannot work whilst fostering teenagers.
You can still work whilst fostering although fostering will need to take priority. We would need to look into how many hours you work, your employer's flexibility and the ages of children you are fostering. Teenagers are generally more independent which would give you more flexibility to work.
Myth One: You must be experienced to foster teenagers.
You do not need to be an experienced carer to foster teenagers. We offer training and 24/7 specialist support from our Social Work team, so you feel confident enough to tackle anything. Fostered teenagers are at a fundamental stage of life, on the verge of independence, and your guidance and support can help them make the best transition into adulthood.
"We want children to achieve their potential, no matter where they come from or what challenges they meet along the way."
Nick Barnsby, Director
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