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When I found Parents in two Mentors

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I want to tell you a story that still lives inside my heart. It is the story of a child who never thought she would feel safe in a family again. It is the story of a girl who used to watch other children call out to their parents and she wondered how that must feel. This girl was me. My name is Surja and for a long time I believed that life had already taken away everything that could make a child warm from inside. I believed that maybe I was meant to grow up alone. I believed that maybe my story was already written in a dark corner where love never enters. But I was wrong. Life surprised me with two people who stepped into my world not with a loud noise but with a gentleness I did not know how to receive at first. Their names were Saroj aunty and Deepak uncle. I call them my mentors but the truth is that they walked into my life like sunlight walks into a closed room when a small window finally opens. They came with no big promises. They came with no conditions. They came with no de...
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From Care to global Change: Six months that started a movement

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This journey began with care experienced people from five continents . We came together as two strong groups of care leaders , meeting every month for six powerful sessions , each lasting two and a half hours . These were not just meetings but deep conversations filled with honesty, courage, and ideas . Every month, we came with open hearts, ready to listen, learn, and build. We wanted to do more than just talk, we wanted to create something real , something that would make the voices of care leavers impossible to ignore . Now, after six months, we feel a strong sense of accomplishment . We know we have contributed in the best way possible to make this upcoming conference the most inclusive, accessible, and meaningful event we can imagine . From the very start, we knew this would not be an ordinary conference . We wanted it to be a safe and welcoming space where care leavers are not just invited to speak but are at the center of every decision . This space would be one where people ...
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Dissemination of Opportunities for Care Leavers - Reflections from the Ground

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In the last two years, my journey as a Care Leavers Engagement Coordinator has been nothing short of transformative. It has taken me across conversations, across cities, and across stories of resilience, silence, and untapped potential. It has also taken me deeper into the undercurrents of a powerful question: “How many care leavers truly know what support exists for them, and how many of us genuinely care to ensure they understand and access it?” As someone who works closely with care leavers, not just from a professional lens but also from lived experience, I have come to realize that dissemination is not just about sharing information. It is about reaching, connecting, and empowering. And there lies a huge difference between passing on a flyer and opening up a world of possibility for a young adult who has left care. What I have experienced & observed When I began engaging with care leaver networks, organizations, and resource providers at the local, national, and international ...
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A Care Leaver’s Reflection on Othering

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I have spent a lot of time reflecting on one quiet truth that we care leavers have sometimes grown up Othering ourselves. Not because we want to. Not because we believe we are less than. But because we come from systems where being “different” is how we were identified, described, and often even supported and somewhere along the line, we started to believe it. That our pain was unusual. That our gaps were greater. That our stories needed to be hidden or packaged just right to be accepted. This blog is not about blaming others. It's about understanding ourselves. It’s about affirming that while care experience is unique, we must also remember: life in families isn’t free from struggle either. So how we begin Othering ourselves Growing up in care, whether it was foster care, institutional care, or kinship care meant we learned to define ourselves in relation to a system - case files, staff roles, checklists, transitions, and assessments. We often heard “ These are your special needs....
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Met as Care Leavers, Left as Family

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Can you picture this for a moment?   You’re standing alone, heart racing, on a stage in a foreign country, 5574km away from home. Around you, over 200 faces of strangers from across the world watching, waiting to hear your story.  Who are you? Just one of many care leavers, with a life story too often overlooked. But here you are, holding our attention. They want to hear about our struggles, our dreams, our journeys.  How would you feel, picturing yourself in that moment? How many of us get this rare chance to be seen, to be truly heard? But reaching that stage wasn’t easy. It started with a whisper, a possibility, a dream of representing care leavers at the FICE International Congress . Every step on the way was a challenge, testing patience, resilience, and hope. I remember hearing about the Congress for the first time. The idea of standing as a voice for care leavers worldwide felt surreal, almost daunting.  Could I do it? Was I enough? The journey was humbling. ...
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Embracing a Positive Digital Culture

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  A Care Leaver’s Journey to Belonging in a Digital World Hey, you! Yes, you, the one scrolling through—let me grab your attention for a moment. I’ve got a story to share, one that’s close to my heart and speaks to the power of embracing a positive digital culture. Today, I’m talking about how digital spaces became my bridge to belonging, and how, as a care leaver, I navigated the highs and lows of integrating into society with the help of technology. Ready to dive in? "Digital spaces are like doors—you just need the key to open them. But what if you don’t have the key?" When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, like many others, I found myself relying on digital tools to stay connected. Whether it was online classes, workshops, or watching YouTube tutorials to complete assignments in my aftercare facility, the digital world was for me the only source that kept me connected with the loved ones, stay updated etc. It felt empowering! Social workers were there to guide me, and I could alw...
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Workplace Harmony

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 Nurturing Inclusivity and Support for the most vulnerable young persons with experience  of being in care homes Entering the workplace for the first time is both exciting and challenging for every person but more so for someone like me, a care leaver. I still remember my first job and my first day as a Legal Analyst in a well-known company. It just seemed like a great day when I entered the office that morning. I felt it would be a great learning opportunity and everyone would welcome me with open hands and hearts full of love. Yes, that was so true. The environment was friendly, and my colleagues were welcoming. However, I quickly realized that there was a significant gap in understanding the unique challenges I faced due to my background. During my six-months’ probation period, I encountered several situations that put me in the corner, isolated, making me feel I was not wanted, and often highlighting my low social relationship skills. At times, I felt like my childhood tra...
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