Rachel’s story

Rachel came home from school one day to find social services waiting with her mum. She went into emergency local authority care that night, before being taken to a foster home five hours away. And so began years of moving again and again and again.

This was destabilising and stressful for Rachel – and got in the way of her education and her ability to make friends.  

 I reckon about six months is the longest I stayed in one place. I’ve always been behind in my learning because I’ve never stayed at school for long enough.

When Rachel was 14, a process to reconnect her with safe family members, like her grandma, was started. But at the time, Rachel was still living far away from her hometown. 

So Rachel could in time move back to familiar surroundings, she was referred to a support worker, Sophie, at one of The Children’s Society’s specialist services.

Sophie was based in Rachel’s home county, many miles from her current placement. Yet she always made the long journey, visiting Rachel regularly – being there when she said she would be – becoming a steady presence in Rachel’s life.  

Sophie started coming to see me. The first couple of times, I was horrible. I used to make her wait hours for me. But she just kept coming back and kept coming back, so that’s what made me open up. She used to bring me local pastries from a bakery we only have in my hometown, miles away.

Now 18, Rachel is living independently and working with children herself. She’s determined to go to university and become a social or support worker.

I’m not holding on to the past, I’m moving forwards. All I want to do is give a child what I didn’t get when I was younger. If I can make them safer and feel happy, then I’ve done my job.