There need to be more people like you in the world
Aww, thank you so much for saying that Becky! If it helps, we've always got a big team of people helping out. My husband obviously works here with me when he can, some of the older kids help out when they can with simple things, we obviously pay them for it, and a lot of the children that go through our doors end up just asking if they can stay on as a permanent employee, which frankly, is amazing to have around. I mean, I can connect with children, but there's sometimes where being from a very well off family-which is how I got the money to start this in the first place-means that...it's harder for me to connect to some of the people that come to us, or we try and help.
So in some cases, instead of me or my husband getting to know the kids at first, I'll take one of the young adults that work for us, who used to be in the same sort of place aside and just say 'Look, I need you to let them know what it's like here, and that they can trust us'. Hearing it coming from me can seem a little...demeaning, if threatening to some of these kids. Like, 'Oh yay look at me, I'm from a well off family and I want to help you because I'm so up myself'. So it's a lot better for some of the children if they can hear the words, 'Look, I know what you've been through, and I know what you're feeling right now. Because five years ago I was feeling the same things, but these people are alright, and we're not going to keep you here if you want to leave, but I'd like you to stay'. It works out a lot better for some kids if they hear that we're safe and can be trusted from someone who isn't lying about having been down on their luck, but has actually been in the system, or out on the street etc, and now has their life together, has a warm bed every night, and is being paid to just talk to people like them, and get them help.
We're actually starting work on expanding the house, to allow both for more kids to stay with us, and build proper rooms and apartments for the older, live in staff that stay on with us. Being able to ask someone else to nurse a sick child or just play with them in a cosy room is a godsend sometimes when you feel like you're about to drop if you don't grab some sleep soon. It's a hectic life, but I wouldn't give it up for anything.
