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
?
