A viewpoint that is needed, there are lots of us out there. So why are we under represented?
With technological advancement of the internet it seems you can find everything at the click of a button. So why when i first became a carer did i find nothing remotely relatable? There was so much information related to grandparents who are kinship carers, which admittedly i still read and commended the grandparents for their role in their family. But where was the thing i needed most at that time? Something or someone to relate to, and feel understood.
It is true, grandparents make up a great percentage of kinship care, but surely there are thousands of younger kinships dying to make their voice heard!
Our younger age bracket has noticeable differences in the difficulties we face and eventually overcome. So here i am now, only just a Kinship Carer under 30. Making that young voice heard! Finally…
What are the differences?
- Lack of financial savings At this age your savings are more often than not too small to last or make a noticeable difference.
- Home too small/renting costs – You may be a single person at this stage, with a small home that reflects that. Where are you going to put the child? Can you afford to move?
- Impact on career – Extremely likely to work full-time, this rarely works with dependents. Especially if you’re single or your little one is under 5. Not to mention time-off for meetings/court most likely unpaid.
- Social impact – The social life you had before is now gone, you are no longer a youngster having fun. You have been promoted to an adult responsible for another human. You experience bouts of loneliness and feeling misunderstood from your peers. They no longer see you as their “fun loving, carefree friend” and you don’t see yourself that way either.
- Relationship impacts – Young couples have probably merely discussed having children at this stage with no concrete plans, or you may already have child/children and you are wondering what the impact will be on them. Your relationship did not prepare for instant change, even the lifestyle changes can have an impact.
- People assume you are young and naive – Get ready for a whole lotta stupid coming your way, people may at times think you are incapable of making solid decisions. To them you lack “life experience” Side note: feel free to show these people the door by the way! You do not need this negativity in your life.
- Prospects of court – I was absolutely scared to death of the idea of going to court, i had never been to court and i had no idea what to expect. You may ask yourself “can i do this?” Very often. YES you can, and you will!
Please feel free to comment and share your unique experience with us, let’s be more vocal about all things Kinship Care and offer support!
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Further reading
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