Celebrating children in care this World Care Day
On World Care Day we reflect on the extraordinary strength and resilience of all the children and young people in care in the Northern Territory.
On World Care Day we reflect on the extraordinary strength and resilience of all the children and young people in care in the Northern Territory.
It's an emotional, sensitive and sometimes heartbreaking topic, but one that also encourages us to celebrate young people like Keegan who are writing their own success stories.
Keegan went into care when he was 12. He spent 5 years in care with 5 different families. Teenage years are challenging enough, but for Keegan, going into care added more adversity to overcome. Having been through the care system, Keegan says his biggest learning is "how resilient people can be in tremendously difficult circumstances."
Now 20, Keegan is studying IT at university in Adelaide. He’s still in touch with his last carer and is grateful for the support he received during his teenage years to help prepare him for the transition out of care and for helping him to get started at university.
His message for other children and young people in care is "while it's tough at the start, it gets easier."
We’re incredibly proud of Keegan and all the young Territorians in care and we’re committed to supporting them to overcome adversity and helping them thrive. They deserve to live a safe, happy and healthy life and connecting them with the right support services and community partners is a key part of this process.
We're also grateful to our network of kind and patient carers who welcome into their lives children and young people who not only need a place to call home, but the love and support they deserve. It's an honourable role and you make an incredible impact on them.
If you're interested in becoming a carer, call 1800 FOSTER (1800 367 837) or email becomeacarer@nt.gov.au
Alternatively, if you'd like to make a positive difference to difference to the lives of children and families as a Child Protection practitioner, you can find out more on our website Choose Child Protection
