Olivia’s Journey: From Fragile Beginnings to Flourishing Roots

At 19, Olivia* radiates warmth and energy as she gestures proudly toward her newly planted garden. "I've been experimenting with native plants," she says with a grin. It's a snapshot of a young woman thriving, but Olivia's journey hasn't always been this steady.

At just eight years old, Olivia entered long-term foster care, carrying the weight of challenges no child should endure. But through the care of her foster care family, she found something she hadn't felt in a long time: safety, love, and a place to belong.

At first, Olivia struggled to find her footing. Missing her birth family - even when things hadn't always been safe - was a constant ache. "I loved them - I still love them - even though I didn't always understand why things were the way they were," Olivia reflects. "There were days when I felt caught between two worlds." Sporadic visits with her birth family offered brief connections, but the time apart often left Olivia with a mix of emotions that she was still learning to navigate.

Her foster parents, David and Sarah* showed her how to navigate the hard days, not by offering easy answers but by being present in the moments she needed it most.

"There have been many ups and downs," she says. "But [David and Sarah] made sure I knew I had a safe home with them and was part of their family, no matter what."

With their support, Olivia achieved the kind of milestones that many kids might take for granted. At nine, she attended swimming lessons with her foster siblings, eventually gaining enough confidence to compete in school swimming carnivals - a moment she once thought she'd never be brave enough for - with David and Sarah cheering from the stands. Then, when she turned 16, David became her steady co-pilot during driving lessons, celebrating every small victory until the day she passed her test. "I didn't think I could do it - I was so nervous at first," Olivia says with a grin. "But he kept saying, 'You've got this,' and he never let me give up." These weren't just everyday milestones - they were moments of joy and growth that helped Olivia believe in herself and helped form the essential building blocks for a thriving adulthood.

Now 19, Olivia is studying horticulture at TAFE and has a part-time job at a local nursery. She's discovered a love for working with plants, finding peace and purpose in nature. "I've always loved being outside, and now I'm learning how to make it my career," she says. "It's exciting to think about building something for myself."

For Olivia, her foster family didn't just give her a home - they gave her a foundation. "I still think about my birth family a lot," she says softly. "They will always be important. But being with David and Sarah has shown me that even when some connections are hard to hold onto, I am not alone in the world. That kind of love sticks with you."

David sums it up simply: "We didn't set out to fix anything. We just wanted to give Olivia a space to be herself, to feel loved, and to grow. Watching her find her way has been the greatest gift for our whole family."

Be Part of a Child's Journey

Olivia's story is a testament to the transformative power of foster care. If you've ever thought about becoming a foster carer or supporting foster families, there's no better time to start. Every child deserves to feel safe, valued, and loved.

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*Names and images have been changed to protect privacy and confidentiality.