KIDS IN CARE
Partnering with the Department of Child Safety, Youth & Women
Every child enters this world in need of love, support, and guidance. Unfortunately, for a lot of children, they don’t get the picture-perfect image of a mother and father. Often this means children can’t live with their family and jump between foster homes. They are forced to form their views and judgements in a home that isn’t their own, oftentimes juggling between various foster homes for unknown period of times. These children have big decisions made for them without their input. Whose home they will be sleeping in tonight? Who will be collecting them from school today?
We, the community, find ourselves in the privileged position of having the ability to make a difference. We can come alongside foster children and support them in their growing into healthy and happy individuals.
The old African proverb: ‘It takes a village to raise a child’, is fitting. The saying originated from the Nigerian Igbo people, who named their children Nwa Ora, meaning child of the community. It is within our village that children are raised to value respect, generosity, modesty, safety and wisdom.
Living in a foster home, whether temporarily or long-term, is not typically a result of a decision made by a child. During this season, they can lose a lot of independence, confidence and choice. They can feel displaced.
When we allow a child to make a choice for themselves, we are recognising their worth and helping them to feel empowered. We are acknowledging they are respected enough and capable of making decisions for themselves. Making decisions is a fundamental part of life, from something as minor as what to eat for dinner to as major as what house to purchase. In providing opportunities to make decisions, we are giving chances to learn whilst encouraging independence. Some decisions we make are good; some are bad, but the results can only be learned after the choice has been made.
Even in a picture-perfect family, it takes a community to raise a child. So, just for a minute, imagine the community required when a child doesn’t have the opportunity to live with their own family. The displacement a foster child can feel, particularly around the Christmas season, is unparalleled. At a time full of love and joy, feelings of loneliness must be overcome with the generosity of love, time and resources provided by a foster family, friends and wider community.
So, how are you using your life and experiences to impact others? How can you show generosity to a foster child living in a home that’s not theirs, with a family that’s not their own, especially during the Christmas season? Show them they aren’t alone. Show them, that as part of our community, they are valued, they are important, and they are cherished.
This Christmas, I am choosing to give the gift of choice to a foster child. By giving a gift card, we are giving a foster child the greatest gift of all – the power of choice. They can take their gift card and choose exactly what it is they want. Perhaps they choose something they love and cherish forever; perhaps they choose something they love for a few months before it makes the way to the back of the cupboard. This is not only an educational opportunity, but it is encouraging and empowering to a foster child, allowing them to grow their confidence and independence.
The gift we give will remind them how much we care and remind them how valued they, and their decisions, are.
It takes a village to raise a child. Let’s faithfully step in and be that village this Christmas.
Click here to join us in making this a Radical Christmas for kids in care.