At MacKillop we believe every child matters. Every child should have a chance at childhood. Every child deserves the best.
At 14 years old Katie had never had the best of anything until MacKillop placed her with a family she now calls her own. MacKillop foster carers, Michael and Elizabeth, opened their hearts and their home to Katie. Today, she is finally starting to feel that she truly does belong.
Before meeting Michael and Elizabeth, Katie had never experienced the security of a stable family. Never had a home to call her own. Never felt like she belonged.
Her mother lives with a disability that made it impossible for her to care for her child, despite support. Other parental figures had come and gone throughout Katie’s life, making it difficult for her to trust any adult. This sadly led to Katie never being able to form a secure emotional attachment with those around her.
The love and support Katie has received from her carers cannot be measured. As Michael said:
As far as we are concerned we are in it for the long haul with Katie… she has a place to call home for as long as she feels she needs it. Katie has settled enormously, she’s a different girl. She is more relaxed, happier, secure and feels she can get on with life now. We make sure the overwhelming message we give to Katie all the time is you are loved and you have a place here.
Children need the consistent support of family to be their best. They need stability and certainty, but more importantly, a chance for hope and a real sense of belonging. The absence of this feeling is never felt more keenly than at Christmas, which should be a joyous time for every child.
Katie says Christmas used to be a really hard and lonely time:
I always wished for a family to call my own. All that stuff you see on TV... I just wanted to have a Christmas like that, even just one time. With Michael and Elizabeth, I look forward to Christmas and unwrapping the presents that will be under the Christmas tree!
At MacKillop, we strive to deliver the best possible outcomes for vulnerable children. With support from the community, we can create strong, supportive families so every child has the chance to share in the joy of Christmas, and to know that they belong.
As Michael says, “support from MacKillop enables ordinary people like us to make a difference in the lives of children for whom life hasn’t worked out as well as we would all hope. It’s a chance to make a difference. It’s a chance to give hope.”
Although we have changed her name and photo to protect her privacy, Katie’s story is true. She is one of the 600 children living with MacKillop foster carers tonight.