THE CHILD JOURNEY

Scared

Shame

Guilty

Anxious

Am I going to get into trouble? Will mum and dad think I told

them?

Danny doesn't live with his mum and dad anymore

because he told.

Will dad go to jail?

What are the kids at school going to say about me?

Scared

Scared

Anxious

Worried

I want mum to get help but I don't want her to get into trouble.

Is mum going to keep her appointments

this time?

I didn't sleep well cos there was lots of people over again

last night.

Isolated

Sad

Anxious

Worried

Relieved

I miss mum and dad. When will I see my

family again?

Anxious

Will they think I made this up?

Sad

Alone

We have a daily routine now.

I had breakfast this morning.

Terrif ied

I like my caseworker Marie. She listens to me.

Distrust

Cared for

I want to stay with mum and dad.

I'll kill myself if

they take

me away.

I told them the last time but

nothing changed.

What will happen if I tell the truth?

I know they hurt me but they love me and they don't mean it.

It's all my fault. Mum said it wouldn't

be like this if I wasn't born.

Things are better, but will they stay this way?

Ostracized

I hope mum saves some money for food

this week.

Who's going to feed the baby? That's my job!

Will mum and dad be OK? Is uncle Bob going to hurt them?

Who's going to protect and look after mum and my broth-

ers?I make Sammy and Jess Weetbix for dinner when mum

doesn't come home.

I had to call the

ambulance for mum

again last night.

Uncle Jim is mean

to mum. He makes

her cry and throws

things at her.

Bill told me that if I told anyone about our 'game' he would hurt

my mum.

Embarrassed

I know my birth family are

not safe but I have noone

else to turn to.

Will I be kicked out of my placement? I can't afford

to live anywhere.

What good are driving

lessons when I can't

afford a car?

I don't remember much about

my childhood...and I don't

want to talk about it.

I didn't know I could have got money to help

me pay for TAFE.

I'm so lucky I can stay

with my foster carer

I still don't have a home. I stay on friends couches

where I can.

Worried

Anxious

Insecure

Vulnerable

Who am I? Where do I come from and why did I

come into care?

Can I still see my siblings in care? Can I look after them now?

Vulnerable

Lonely

Settled

Hopeful

What am Ientitled to?

I need support with parenting so that history doesn't repeat

itself with my kids.

Depressed

Please tell me that mum at least tried to take

care of me.

Despair

My casewoker Marie has been helping me since I was 5. Who do

I turn to for help now?

I didn't get a leaving care plan. How do I get help?

Now I understand why I came into care., I can

get on with my life.

I wish I showed up to school more.

I can't read very well.

My brother lives somewhere else and that makes me sad,

I miss him...

Unsettled

Relieved

Moving around from place to place all the time feels bad.

We stayed at a motel, how long will I be here?

Sad

Angry

Scared

Who has room for

a kid like me?

I hate having to move

schools again...

I miss mum and dad. How long will I have

to stay here?

Worried

Relieved

Lonely

Happy

Safe

Mum doesn't want me to beadopted but I know it's the

best thing for me.

My mum gave me to a family who could lookafter me better.

I don't feel likeI fit in here.

I love my adopted family and it's great I still get to see my birth mum and sister. I now feel I fit in at

school. I have a family like everyone else. I'm never going to

live with my real mum again.

Empty

Confused

I wonder what mum's

doing for Christmas?

I know I'm not going anywhere

At least I know the school will feed me at lunch time if I have no lunch again.

This is the same nurse

I had the last time

when dad hurt me.

I love coming to play group my case worker and mum play fun games

with me.

Will the police make Uncle Jim stop hurting my mum.

I really like our new caseworker she helps mum keep our house

clean and tidy.

It's a pretty cool place to hang out, plus if me or my mum need any help they will help us here.

My mum did lots of things with FACS to get

me back.

In the beginning I had to see mum in the office it was just weird for us, I

missed her so much.

After some time we started going out tothe park this was

much more fun.

I see mum much more now. My caseworker said we are nearly ready to go

back home.

I am going home and can live with mum again

Aunty May and Uncle Steve will take us.

They asked me if Iwanted to stay with

them forever.

I'm really happy we can stay forever!

We are connected to our family and our culture.

We don't need a caseworker now.

This is my first Christmas here and I'm

really happy!

Every year on Christmas my foster parents invite my mum and dad to visit.

I don't know where I would have ended up with out my foster

parents.

They try too hard to be my parents...

I've never fit in here.

If they want me to leave, where will I live?

Stressed

Hopeful

Scared

Sad

Confused

Relieved

Happy

Hopeful

Nervous

Relieved

Settled

Safe

Happy

Hopeful

Settled

Safe

Home sick

Normal

Hopeful

Relieved

Uneasy

What is happening...SHORT TERM PLACEMENT

How long will I be here?RESTORATION

I am back where I belong

ADOPTIONS GUARDIANSHIP

I know I’m not going anywhere

LONG TERM

I hope I’m not going anywhereLife is tough

EARLY INTERVENTION ASSESSMENT

Can I trust this person?What’s going to happen to my family?INTAKE INTERVENTION

Things are changing

AFTER CARE

Who

’s goin

g to support m

e now

?

LEAVIN

G CARE

Where am

I goin

g to live

?