Can You Open Your Home And Change A Future?

Can You Open Your Home And Change A Future?

In May, East Sussex County Council (ESCC) supported Foster Care Fortnight to highlight the difference you can make by opening your home to vulnerable youngsters.

A case study the council shared was that of a homeless Vietnamese teenager, Dong, whose life was changed by a kind-hearted couple who invited him into their home.

Dong arrived in the UK to study at boarding school, however his parents were arrested in Vietnam and were then unable to pay his fees, and he was asked to leave the school.

He sought help from ESCC and was placed in supported lodgings – a scheme designed to help young people gain independence with the support of individuals and families.

Dong says about his supported lodgings: “I feel really comfortable here, it is like a second home. I feel really safe and happy. If I didn’t go to supported lodgings, I don’t know where my life would be.”

For more information about becoming a foster carer, or a supported lodgings provider, visit: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies, or call: 01323 464129 or 01424 726155.