I first met Bob 11 years ago when he was placed in our children’s home at the age of 15. Having experienced a chaotic and often violent upbringing, I witnessed an initially reticent and timid lad gradually develop into a confident and engaging young man.
On leaving the home just before his 18th birthday, a foster home and further education were his next destinations. Out of the blue Bob contacted me recently with some exciting and unexpected news. He was now working as a full-time residential child care worker in another city and loving it. (In my experience, I am aware of only one colleague who had been in care as a child, indeed, I’m told it’s very rare).
Bob and I discussed how his experience of being in care was proving invaluable to the young people he is working with and his own practice, and he explained that he had taken this a step further with an initiative of his own …
