peter
“I grew up in residential care from the age of six because my parents were unable to care for me. I’m now twenty-seven, and just starting to realize how different the terms ‘home’ and ‘family’ are in my mind. My care experience was unique, as I only had two placements the whole time. I lived most of my life in residential care, with sometimes up to sixteen different staff members, plus the lads I lived with. When I first left ‘Home Again’ at the age of eighteen, I found it extremely hard living by myself and often felt very lonely and depressed. The only thing that kept me afloat was the fact that I could return ‘home’ for things like food, to wash my clothes or just to have a chat. It meant a lot to me. Normally, once you move out of a home you’re not allowed back to visit no matter how many years you lived there. But in my case, if the sense of belonging had been taken from me, I’m certain I’d be absolutely lost. So I’d like to grab the opportunity to say thank you to everyone who once was part of my big-big family and made me the person who I am today!”