I have been living with my older sister, Laura for 5 years. We are very close and she is very proud of me.
I left school this year and I’m going to do my A-levels. I want to make my sister and family proud. I want to do hair and beauty and maybe get a qualification in hairdressing so when I finish school I can get a good job.
I love going to Kinship Care. The staff are helpful and friendly and I don’t feel as though I am on my own anymore. I have made new friends and even won an Award for Art. I feel a lot better about myself and my family situation.
I still have a good relationship with my mum. I see her quite a lot and I understand why she cannot look after me. I also have a social worker who I can turn to if I need to talk stuff over with.
I love my sister, Laura and I will always be grateful to her for stepping in to look after me when she did. Laura also goes to Kinship Care as well and next year she is going to do a course in Counselling so she can share her experience of looking after me with other people in the same position.
I know now that not everyone’s family looks the same and I don’t feel embarrassed or awkward anymore when people ask me why I’m living with my sister. I don’t tell them the reason why. I just say I live in kinship care and have a family who loves me.