A YOUNG mother has told her story of growing up in care to help celebrate Care Leavers Week in Redcar and Cleveland which recognises the achievements of our care leavers and highlights the support and opportunities available to them.
Zoe, 24, a mother-of-three, is originally from Middlesbrough but was a child in care at the Redcar and Cleveland Council.
She said: “I’ve always been in and out of care, but it wasn’t until I was 13 when I came in and I was placed with a great foster carer who got me to go to school and then college and progress on to university. It’s been quite a positive journey for me from teenagehood.”
To this day, Zoe still keeps in touch with her former foster carer, who visits her every month to see Zoe and her three daughters.
After obtaining her Level 3 Health and Social Care qualification, Zoe went on to do social work but took a step back in her career to focus on her three daughters. Now that the girls have grown up a bit, she decided to start working again and got a job at Amazon.
“When the opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance,” said Zoe. “I always see myself doing male oriented roles like working in a warehouse, I also quite like cars.
“I want to show my three girls that women can do anything. We can look after our families as well as have a job. I want to be an inspiration for them.”
To celebrate all the Care Leavers in Redcar and Cleveland, the Council lit its buildings in the colour of the Care Leaver Covenant, and held two more events over this period dedicated to them.
Cllr Luke Myer, Cabinet Member for Children, said: “It’s extremely heart-warming to see how the children in our care grow up to be independent, hardworking and responsible adults as well as great parents and role models for their children. I am so grateful to our amazing staff and foster carers for all the care and effort they put into supporting them reaching their full potential, both when they are children and when they become inspiring young people.”
Could you help change the future of a vulnerable child or young person? All our foster carers receive financial compensation for their vital work. Get in touch by calling 0800 917 7771 or email contact@fosterwithnortheast.org.uk. Find out more at https://fostering.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk