The CLA put the call out to care leavers to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and write stories or poems that reflect their life’s experience.  We wanted to hear about your individual experiences from childhood:  your time in care and life after care; your best of times and your worst of times; the funny, the bizarre, the ordinary and the extraordinary. We believe that in the conventional family setting, individuals reminisce and resolve familial issues throughout their lives, an important custom which is often lacking in the life course of care leavers.  We therefore encouraged all care leavers to write their own narratives so they can share their experiences and sustain childhood memories.

A selection of the stories are now on uploaded below and the stories were all amazing. We hope they they are as inspiring to you as they were to us. There is great benefit in writing, sharing and reading stories. Please take care with the stories and treat them with respect.  If you want to send in a story send it to Info@careleavers.com.

If you feel moved to comment on the stories or want to discuss your experiences further, you can become a member and join in with our forums

42nd Street
A Song to my dead dad
062711 The Children’s Home
A Swallow Falls Softly
Lost in History and soon forgot a child in time
Broadwalk
Care Leavers’ Association Writing Entry Catherine Lynch
Care Leavers Association Writing Entry Kabelle Kazembe
Care Leavers Association Writing Entry George Cowley
Chris Kenny
CLA Silence is a dangerous place
Contact Visit
Did they care
DONNA’S BEAUTIFUL POEM
ella narrattive prose
ENCOUNTER WITH A STRANGER 3 CARE and DESPAIR
faces changing
GG’s life
Forgive but not forget poem
Going into care
I became a Christian when I was eleven at my local church as I had wanted forgiveness and for my life to get better back then
In and Out of Care
It is called The Fazakerley Cottages Homes and has been written by
It was a fine Summer
Life
Light at the end of the tunnel
Mummy
My Life so far by Matthew Fearon
My life My mini life story-revised
My time has come to the end
PLAY THE GAME
Poem 31 May 2011
PRIDE in LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN
processing
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Since I saw you in Burnley
spooks_01[1]
STM memories_CLA_2
Susan Weightman
The Alienation of the Left
The first day of the rest of my life
The First Night
Them