Inspiring stories | You Can Foster

You think you know me - winner

So you think you know me? Close your eyes and try to imagine me, do you really know me or just some of my story?

A kid in care, a looked after child; you need to take in this fact or nothing I tell you will be pleasing.

I’m a 15 year old girl, and my story is now yours.

Dear diary - winner

I remember the day I saw my father’s blue work van pull out of the drive for the last time. I remember not having a clue what it all meant, what was waiting for me ahead. I remember the following weekend and how he never showed to pick me up. Every Friday night after school he always picked me up but this Friday there was nothing, not even a phone call to explain.

My mum's a superhero - winner

My mum is a superhero. She hears a knock at the door. And she puts her cap on. She is the 'love hero'. A new child is here that needs her special love and I'm her side kick that gets a new friend.

She uses her magic noone can see. The boy has no words. She gives him words. The boy has no toys. She gives him toys. The boy has no clothes. She gives him clothes. The boy has no mummy or daddy. My mummy helps him get a new mummy and daddy.

Thank you to our judges and all the entrants

Our Inspiring Stories competition was open to children and young people in foster care and those living in fostering households to share their experiences and talk about fostering. We'd like to thank everyone who took the time to enter and our judging panel.

My story as a foster child - winner

She can be a bit naughty so can I but we learn. Me and my sister do a lot of sport. I do football, tennis, cubs and swimming. My sister is real good. I am not as good as her. We go to places like Gulliver’s World fireworks. I have been to other foster familys. Now I’m going to stay here for a lot of years. I have been here for 3 years. We have been on holiday to London.

Forever friends - winner

Poppy was a fluffy little dog who lived in a town were dog owners gave out friendship tokens to their dogs , as a reward for being good . The friendship token was magical .If a dog wore their friendship token around their neck , then all the other dogs would want to be friends with them , FOREVER . Leroy was a black Labrador who liked Poppy and he wanted to be her best friend . He got jealous when Poppy was given a friendship token by her owner , because he thought that another dog would become her best friend and she would no longer be friends with Leroy .

Truck driver

Everyday I work delivering Halloween stuff to all around the country. All the warehouses and sometimes I dress up and scare people. I was driving up the motorway to London and my petrol light comes on all of a sudden my petrol goes. I had to pull over. I heard someone go into the back of the truck and I looked...

I saw a real clown in the back of a truck. I ran into the forest it was dark cold and I felt scared. I turned round and saw the clown running towards me with a chainsaw in his hand.

Spooky attic

Hiya. I live in a large house with secret rooms. I am 11 years old and I am very inquisitive who likes to know more. When I go to sleep I hear bangs and drops and scrapes and sometimes blood piercing screams. The attic was very cobwebby and dark.

She lived with her two sisters and her parents. Their mother who was very fashionable and worked as a model. Their father was a mechanic who loved cars.

On the evening of Halloween she went up the stairs with weapons by herself because nobody believed her. As she crept up the stairs the noise got louder and LOUDER. BANG!

Little girl who lives in a princess tower

Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in a high rise blocks of flats which she called her Princess Tower. She was a sad little girl, this was because her Mummy and Daddy made some wrong choices.

Rosie the Dragon

Once upon a time there lived a little dragon named Rosie. Rosie lived in a very small house with her foster mum names Jane. Jane was very nice and loved Rosie from head to toe. But there is one thing you should know about Rosie. Rosie was incredibly shy. Rosie became very shy girl since her mum and dad abandoned her on the wet cold and smelly streets.

My special day

Godparents and my friends were there and my family. It was my baptism and I was quite scared but my mum and dad said that I was brilliant and everyone was very proud of me and then said it was a yummy lunch and I cut the cake.

The end.

When I grow up

When I grow up

When I grow up I am going to be a marine biologist. I am going to be on TV. I will live with my cousin and my mummy and be happy.

People of the future

I have a special power where I can see into the future. I can see everything including football, lottery and everything in the future.

Every time there is a lottery bid I go into the future and see what the winning numbers ar and the same thing with football. I can go into the future and see who wins and bet on them and win lots of money.

The world cup is nearly here so I go into the future until the end and see who wins. There were lots of people cheering and shouting and be on the winning team and win lots of money.

Finding my feet

Finding my feet in a friendly home

Opportunities that never make me feel alone

Successes I never thought I have had

Times when I thought I was going mad

Eventually I found my way

Resulting in me having a say

Caring and sharing is now my thing

Attitudes changed for me that day

Resulting in me going away

Ending up finding my feet again.

My Head Teachers Award

Year 6 "HATED IT" Year 7 "DREADED IT" However my old teachers at primary, my new teachers at high school, my foster carers and social workers all helped me with my transition. I was given a certificate for my effort during transition. My first day at high school "SCARED" I needn't have been, everyone was kind and caring, even the children in the big classes. The six form students are very kind and helpful.

One day "HORROR" my fellow pupil in maths had not handed in his homework, he was given a second change, otherwise, "DETENTION".

My life in an egg cup

It was the 4th of november when it all began

The girl was only 13, she didn’t understand

She cried every night on the phone

Screaming to her mum she doesn’t want to be alone

There was nothing she could do, she had no choice

Nobody listened to her; no-one heard her voice

People started to judge her for being in care

They used to call her names, they used to stand and stare

No-one asked her if she was okay, they really didn’t care

Why was this happening to her? She thought it wasn’t fair

The wolf human

Someone or something was chasing me. I didn’t know who but I did know that whoever it was, was no friend. My breath was coming in short sharp gasps. Surely I was going to collapse with exhaustion, giving the wolf, I knew now it was a wolf, time to devour me. No! I had to keep going. Time was running out. I had no idea where I was going or why, however I did know my family depended on me. My sister. My mother. My father. Their faces flashed before my eyes as I thought about them. Suddenly my surroundings changed. I was in a forest. It was burning all around me.

Happiness

Nausea. My stomach churned and twisted as I sat down in this timeworn car; my things covering the cloth seating, all tied up in forgotten carrier bags with a couple of enfeebled clothes chucked in there. My heart ached to go home, but my mind longing to go to this unknown place. Scenery changed briskly, the unfamiliar place scaring me, bringing excitement at the same time. Mum lingered in my mind, along with many more but she stuck there, vividly. I could hear my social worker mumbling to herself, telling me this would “all be okay”. It didn’t feel okay, but it didn’t feel bad either.

I love you mum

I am thankful for my family and friends I am glad that I live with my mum and family. I will never leave them and never forget them.

I am grateful for the holidays that she has paid for us to go on and everything she has in mind for us in the future, and did I mention that I love living with her.

HOLIDAYS THAT SHE HAS TOOK US TO ARE:
-FRANCE
-AMERICA
-CARAVAN
- GREECE
Ectra

love you mum I will stay with her for the rest of my life and never leave untill the day I die

A magical story about my amazing life

I would like to take this opportunity to express my feelings and share my story.

For years I have always wanted another sibling just imagine having three. Yes, there are ups and downs with children. I am sure we can manage. we have just been to one of our favourite holiday parks to rent out a caravan for a few days , it was awesome ,the kids definitely enjoyed our little break just as much as us older kids did , I am looking forward for another to going to another caravan park one day .

Me and my brother

We are in foster care. We have lived with our foster carers for 3 years and we are staying until we are adults. We go on holidays and days out. I go swimming. I go to rainbows and it is very fun. I love my foster carers because they give me lots of love and teach me the rights and wrongs.

The final sentence is powerful and shows how much the writer values their foster carers and what they do. A great way to end the piece of writing.
Dan Worsley

Misunderstandings

Seeing things differently

Most 7 year olds don’t have a care in the world

When I was 7 my whole entire world was completely different.

I had to look out for them.

‘Its okay they will be back soon’

We knew things we shouldn’t have known at that age.

I had to protect them from that.

I have to keep them safe.

I went to call the police sometimes when it would get bad, I didn’t know what else to do but it was too loud.

My Dad saw it as me interfering!

Dangerous D

Dangerous no more

Previously:

After D drank from the sipping sine of sourness his powers are wearing out. Magical M has disappeared without a trace. Will D keep his powers? Will he find his parents?

The start:

D just hopped, hopped and hopped. He didn’t care. He didn’t feel angry. He didn’t feel sad. He didn’t feel anything. He just hopped and hopped. He eventually made it to the Dan Cave. He sat on his dr chair on the Oomputer. He found all of the other pictures from how they first united to the last photo of him and M.

Rumble! Roar!

Season 1

Once upon a time there was an island which was struggling to survive. Everyday their food was gone but wat what they don’t know is who is stealing their food.

One day they made an invincible monster named the Sword Breaker. One night it was on guard. The someone came named Boo. Soon he got caught and then there was a BANG and a CRASH and a SCRATCH.

Big House

I live in a big house with My Nan, My Grandad, My sister and My Brother, My Nan’s Son and his girlfriend.
My Nan makes good food and takes me to the shops.
My FAMILY

Nan in this piece of writing sounds just like my nan. She cooked lovely food and we went to the shops lots, although sometimes my feet hurt with all the walking!
Dan Worsley

Grandma's locket

NO! YOU CANT DO THIS TO ME! I was struggling to breathe…

2 days ago…

It all began when I looked down to see this new locket my grandma had just place around my neck. It looked old but new as if she’d just bought it. But there was something I didn’t like about that locket. I felt it as soon as she put it on me and smiled as if she knew what was going to happen. Later that day decided to look in the locket to see if grandma had put a special picture in. I read the letters in black bold: RELLIK.

New home

(The mum) came into my room after supper. We had noodles (my favourite) and she said “You don’t have to be born into a family to be loved by one” and with that she left, but that didn’t really matter as we would all be back together very soon.

What friendship is all about

Hi,I’m,A,I’m 15 years old.I live with my foster carers.I have blue ocean eyes and I have chesnut hair like a fluffy cat.
My foster carers got me the most adorable golden cat tht was as soft as a pillow .The name I choose for her was cookie because my bff’s favourite food is
Chocolate-chip cookies.

“oi , you’ve just introduced me now,pass it over mate.”

I'm a little girl

I’m a little girl, I’m 11 years old and I am at high school and I have a lot of friends. I like to cuddle my teddys I love my foster parents and my sister who has gone away to university and I like to listen to music I like the colour gold and purple and pink and I like to do art and drawings.

The Angel Girl

“Guardian Angel pure and bright, Guard me while I sleep tonight.”

The little girl, whose hair was black as coal whispered the prayer ever so delicately as she knelt beside her bed. She had started praying to God’s angels ever since she could form words. She believed that the only reason that she didn’t die in the car crash, along with her parents, was because the Angels saved her. The other kids at Miss Macy’s Orphanage had often made a mockery of the 10 year old for the fact that she believed what she believed.

Torment of Youth

Let us be us.

You think you know us? You don’t. You say... “We’ve been teenagers before” Seriously? Have you lived in today’s world? With stereotypical, negative attitudes. We all know when you see a group of young people in hoodies, you assume they’re bad news and up to no good. In reality they’re just a group of mates hanging out wearing today’s fashion. Yet again you think you know us, you don’t.

SEXUALITY...

Why do you avoid it?

Friday 15th – the best day of my life

I felt lots of mixed emotions. Today was the day. The day our first foster child came to stay. My stomach churned. “Hurry up!” I heard my mum call. I ran over to Mum. She had set out all of the things I needed to make a banner – paint, pens, lots of paper and stickers. A few hours later I declared I was finished. Afterwards I taped string on each end of the banner. I made my way upstairs and hung the banner up in the doorway of her room. The noise of a knock on the door made me jump a mile. This was it!

Life as a foster brother

I have been fostering for 4 years. I am 10 years old and I enjoy children and I am good at explaining things to children. I also really like going to the kids foster 2 [group for sons and daughters of foster carers] and I especially love it when we get pizza.

When I hear the word family

When I hear the word family

It’s got a lot of meaning to me

It’s hard to understand for me

I’ve never really had a mother or father

They didn’t know me so they didn’t understand me

At times when I was at my low

They never give me there hand to me

The best day ever!

It was my birthday and it was the best day ever. I went out for my tea after that my friend, wait a minute it was my bestest friend. My friend is called Izzy. I foster. It's really fun but I get nobody my age. When I grow up I am going to take care of animals, fierce animals. I own a zoo, then days I don't foster I take care of the lion enclosure and tiger enclosure and gorilla enclosure.

My life summed up

Once, when I was three, I looked after my mum, she came home and broke a glass. I screamed to my brother, "mummy's hands are bleeding come quick" and my brother came to help us and rang the ambulance. I sat there for hours crying because my mum had been taken away. Social workers were on our backs and have been ever since I was a baby. When I was four my mum made me a bacon sandwich, unfortunately it was raw and I started to cough, my brother could hear me choking and flew down the stairs like a falling ball, he saved my life.

My story

When I was born I had a normal life everything was great and I had a lot of fun with my mum and sister. When I was 9 my sister and brother was born my mum couldn't cope with 4 children so she got ill and didn't care as much. So I looked after my 2 siblings and it was really good for a while but it affected my time in school and my social life …..so I got bullied and abused!

The Past

Hi. I have a special power where I can change my mistakes from the past, I want to see in the future, that's my dream. I can see the spooky things from the past and go to haunted places/houses.

When I grow up I want to see in the future and correct my mistakes also make all the Halloween things nice. So I went to a haunted house and see things. Then one hit me with a baseball bat in my head.

So what I do is unpossess them and now they are nice again.

Short story 2017

I live with my foster carers. I’ve been living with them for 8 years. If i am there when i am 18 that means i’ve been living with them for 10 years which is a very long time in care. The things we do with each other are like were a little family and they make me happy.

Little girl

I’m a little girl who lives in foster care,

I’m seven years old who likes cuddling bears.

I live with my Nan and Grandad in a lovely home and I never feel alone.

I have a lot of friends at school where I play.

This piece of writing contains lots of happy ideas. The sentence about not feeling alone is very powerful – definitely my favourite sentence. School sounds fun too!

I am...

A welcomer

Toy sharer

Game player

Hand holder

Role modeller

Tear wiper

Teddy lender

Laughter sharer

Sweet chewer

Story reader

Jigsaw puzzler

Hair ruffler

Playroom messer

Fast chaser

Swing pusher

Non-stop chatterer

Squeezer and cuddler

Memory maker

Dream shaper

Friend forever.

You too can make a difference!

Reads like a poem and has great illustrations! I particularly liked ‘teddy sharer’ and ‘sweet chewer’.

Livi Michael

A story about how teenagers lives changed.

In the late 1400s in a parallel universe there was a war between demons and other supernatural creatures which lead to the mass killing of members each supernatural groups.

The leaders of each supernatural groups were forced to take away their powers and pass them on to the future generation and transporting them to another parallel universe to save them.

With the help of guardians which acted as the parents of the future generation until the time was right for them to leave and let them do what they were born to do...