This is your section of the website to share your poems, stories or experiences about being in care. Whatever you want to say, we want to listen!
So send your ideas to:
VSK, Kent County Council, Worrall House, 30 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, ME19 4AE or email them to VSK_Participation@kent.gov.uk
Why not also share your thoughts with IMO so young people across the country can read them? Happy, sad, funny, inspiring, they want to hear from you!
Alisha wrote this powerful poem for the Coram Voices Writing competition. The theme was 'This is Me'.
When I was child
I would sing and dance
Be the loudest child in the room
I was confident and free,
That was me.
Then I was a teenager,
Confused about life,
Thinking it`s me against the world,
The feeling of being unloved
But showing a smile behind my pain,
Having to battle my demons in my head
Without turning insane.
That was me.
I soon became a mum at 19,
Still fighting the anxiety and depression that God had given me,
I would often wallow in self-pity,
Still thinking I am alone, but of course putting on a brave face for my son
I am his mother, i am his best friend,
He is my number 1
.
That was me.
Now I am 24
Still fighting the demons but always winning the fight!
I still have my down days, but they will soon pass,
Theres nothing that will break me,
Because I am stronger than I thought,
Loved more then I know,
Confident more than ever,
Because I am a mother, I am a daughter, I am a sister.
I do sing and dance
Be the loudest person in the room
I am confident and free,
This is me.
Chloe wrote this fantastic poem during Lockdown about the importance of staying positive and staying home. We hope that the light at the end of the tunnel is that bit closer for everyone now! Thank you, Chloe, for allowing us to share your experiences of Lockdown.
Lockdown you may keep us locked up but not keep us down
We will wear a smile and not a frown
We may be under pressure with what is going on
But the important thing is we keep calm and carry on
Every one of us is fighting a battle to resist the fun
But by staying home you’re saving lives and even your loved ones
I have been staying home and I have been having fun by making cakes
Using good ingredients and even the rotten ones
We giggled, laughed and even gagged
Who knew making a cake would be so bad
A very good lesson leant that day I can’t deny
But the finished product was an absolute delight
Call me crazy call me insane but at least I’m not lame
I enjoy being inside safe and sound
And clapping every Thursday for the NHS that makes me proud
I have my family right beside me and that’s all I need
Lockdown you can try to break me but I can tell you for sure you won’t succeed
We will stay safe because we are at home snug as a bug together
Alone watching movies or singing songs
My crazy family and me that’s where we belong
I wouldn’t change anything for what I have right now
I wouldn’t risk hurting anyone I love or even myself
Everyone is a star so keep shining bright
There is a light at the end of the tunnel
And I must say it’s a lovely sight
These are the amazing entries that were sent in by some of you for our recent Creative Writing competition. The theme was Heroes and many of you took the chance to tell us who your heroes are, and why.
One of our young people, Adam, has written this poem to describe his feelings during Lockdown. We think it is a very powerful piece of writing - thank you Adam for sharing it!
Here I lay in my bed, looking through my window waiting for this pandemic to die down,
The shadows from the leaves up in the trees pierced through my window,
In the distance, I could see the glaring lights glistering in the deep starry night.
The wind was howling, it felt like someone was blowing in my face,
It was refreshing and deep calming,
As I fell into darkness, far more than deep sleep, I questioned myself, is it going to end?
Every day I felt as if there was no point in even waking up and talking to my peers,
I thought if I cut the circulation off of me talking to people in my home,
I was like well, I haven't got anything better to do, I’ll just get up really late and I’ll only have half a day to deal with.
But after a few days I realised something, maybe being stuck in a house,
Not being able to do your own things isn't all bad,
We haven't had many arguments,
I have been talking to the peers and the staff at home and participating with them,
And I have been getting along with them a lot more than I used to.
I have managed to learn a lot through these weeks like my piano and I have been using the artistic skills I have.
I may be happy but I still feel lonely and lost inside because I can't go out properly
for my fitness and to see family,
And also I realised my friends have not been talking to me as much as they did
I now know why.
It’s because before this lockdown Covid 19, they were doing their own things,
but now they can't do that so they have been helping their family and making stuff for them
And I think it has made everyone’s relationships get stronger in their families including mine,
Even though I know that they aren't my real family, they still back me up when I need it the most.
So far in this pandemic this is all the impact that it’s put on my mental point of view,
Thanks to that I now can see people I live with more clearly.
Danny wrote this ‘Recipe for a Foster Carer’ at one the Participation Team’s Focus Groups for young people in care. Thank you Danny for sharing your ideas about what makes a good foster carer!
Stir it all up to get a family.
Matt wrote this poem for the Creative Me competition – a creative writing competition for children in care and care leavers organised by Pearson Publishing. His entry ‘Dear a mother and a father’ won first place in the secondary competition. Well done Matt.
Love a son, Love a son
Love a son forever
Says the father.
Love a son, Love a son
Love a son forever
Says the mother.
Oh the hypocrisy!
Where would we be without?
Stronger, weaker, dumber, smarter
Stand tall they say. But for how long?
Love a son they say.
It's ours to question a Mother's love,
It's ours to question a Father's love.
They had blunder'd. We had not.
We had done nothing. They everything.
Love a son they say.
No one can judge. No one can criticise.
They can think. But we know
We stand tall and unafraid.
Love a son they say.
We put our trust in friends
For without we stand for nothing.
Greater hath no man
than a man who lay down his life for a friend.
Love a son they say.
Our Carers try to heal our wounds,
But social workers are no mothers.
We will all wish for that moment in time
But we move forward and stand with
Our new family
Love a son they say.
Love a son they scream!
We feel lost. We feel found.
We feel surrounded, all the
While we stand taller
Love a son they whimper.
These are poems written by our Young People to share how they are feeling at this time of uncertainty because of Corona virus, we will be holding a poetry and creative writing competition soon so stay up to date!
In a time like this, Our families we might miss
But the sun is still shining,
So please focus on the silver lining
As we approach Spring,
Take tips from ‘Mrs Hinch’
Please wash your hands,
For the NHS, we unite and stand
Stay indoors,
With those you adore
Check on all our friends,
And focus on being zen
Keep calm,
And know that this will all come to an end!
The world is in crisis now
Make sure you stay safe,
Over the next few months
Make sure you stay positive and have some faith.
You may get tired
You may get bored,
But remember that every cloud has a silver lining,
and afterwards, you may get a reward.
Wash your hands
Dry them quick,
Don’t dry them on your jeans
You might get sick.
Please stay safe and don’t go out
Especially not a sleepover,
This time we can’t go to the Winchester,
We just have to wait for this to all blow over.
C- Counting our blessings
O- Observe what is going on
R- Reach out to those who need us
O- Opportunity to have quality time with people at home
N- Never give up
A- Always wash your hands
V- Value ourselves and others
I- Isolate from negativity
R- Relax this will all be over soon.
U- Understand that we are ALL in this together.
S- Spending time with loved ones.
Caring for one another
Is what we do best,
Whilst keeping our distance
So, we don`t infect the rest.
Times like this,
We need to stick together
Come rain, come shine,
Whatever the weather.
As long as you wash your hands,
And keep yourself at home,
You’ll be stopping the virus
Unable to roam.
So, pull yourself together
Stay positive and smile,
It may feel like it’ll last forever,
But it’s only here for a while.
We got this!
The World was so fast
Now it’s so slow,
How we wish to be out in the suns warm glow.
For now, we stay in
To protect our NHS,
Instead of browsing our local BHS.
Wash your hands and sing happy birthday,
Facetime loved ones
Play games at home,
And finish that overdue Essay.
For now, we stay in,
To protect our vulnerable and old,
We must be bold
And do what we’ve been told.
Do a spring clean
With a big wide beam,
Go for a walk a day
Just to let some stress melt away.
For now, we stay in
This won’t last forever,
This is to protect the world
We’re all in this together!
Through this difficult time,
It’ll be okay,
Because together, we can climb.
Even with isolation from afar,
It’ll be okay,
We can still see the stars.
As long as we stay united,
It’ll be okay,
Just remember, we can fight this.
So, take a deep breath and relax,
It’ll be okay,
We have each other’s backs.
Dear family, friends and loved ones,
Brothers, sisters, daughters and sons,
Grandmas, grandpas, uncles and aunts too,
I’m talking to the whole crew:
I know we all have to keep apart,
But soon enough, we’ll have a fresh start.
This is just a reminder,
Although this may be a long road,
Please remember,
I love you loads!
It’s all a bit confusing really,
Can someone explain it more clearly?
There’s a bug that can make you poorly,
But it won’t get me, surely?
I’m so very bored,
Why do I have to stay at home?
Our bodies are the place, the bug will roam,
The young and elderly are those who are prone.
I miss my family and friends,
I miss going to the park at the weekend.
This time of year, we welcome Spring,
Stay positive and give them a ring.
I feel so sad, is it just me?
I hate this, I want to be free.
As hard as it is, one day you’ll see,
Staying home and being positive is key.
So, there is a silver lining?
Yes, the earth is aligning.
The moon and sun are still shining,
The best we can do is to keep smiling!