Equals Happiness: One Young Person’s Own Words About Her Care Experience

This beautiful poem was written by one of our clubCREATE members for a school English assignment about her experience of being in care. This is the first poem she has ever written, and by sharing her own experience she is helping others to understand what it’s like to be a young person in care.

We have written a transcript of the poem below, and you can click the image to view the original.

Equals Happiness

Equals Happiness: Click above to read the original poem

When I was taken
put into a car told never to see my home again
my world came crashing down

It took some time until I recognised
that this change sustained, what I am today
I became a being who believes a better beginning
will become if a believer believes in themselves

We, people like me, are like you but we go un-noticed
our pain is sealed away
Until we can’t take anymore!
We need to be heard!

Foster care is nothing to fear
Foster care is a haven where children taken
From broken, drunken, violence oriented, drug infected homes find love
ensure their damaged hearts beat on
a sense of belonging that rebuilds their broken souls
living life to the fullest
despite the past that lingers on in the present.

Pain, abuse, confusion, anger, loss, frustration,
education, light, love, belonging equals happiness.