Katie and her partner Mark dropped everything when social services asked them to take in their eight-month-old niece in April 2020. They knew authorities were involved, but they weren’t aware just how bad things were when they were told to pick her up from her mother’s house immediately. All they knew was she needed to be somewhere she was safe and loved.
Now, in the cost-of-living crisis, they are struggling to cope. Raising a child, one who has already faced trauma, takes its toll financially and emotionally. As highlighted by this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, which has a focus on fostering, there are good people out there to help the thousands of children who need a home. But they also need support themselves.
