Aria* is a smart, sweet seventh-grader. She was removed from her home when it was discovered that she was being abused by her stepfather. When her mother did not intercede, parental rights were terminated, and she was placed in the foster care system. Aria moved from foster home to home. Feeling abandoned, unloved, and filled with self-blame, she was unable to process her trauma.
At HomeSafe, our caring, loving team members embraced her with the compassion and understanding she needed to heal. Her therapist helped her cultivate coping skills when she was triggered, feeling depressed, or ashamed. Slowly, Aria’s sexualized and compulsive behaviors diminished. Though it took some time, she accepted that she was not to blame for what happened to her and that her trauma did not define her.
After a year at HomeSafe, Aria is preparing to move into a smaller group home. She has developed boundaries, learned to focus on school and avoid drama, and has become more confident. When we asked Aria, ”What’s next?,” she told us she plans to become a veterinarian and make money so that she can help other foster teenagers. She knows the statistics – that one out of every four youth in foster care will become homeless within four years of aging out of foster care – and she wants to be part of the solution for these young adults.
We asked Aria what people should know about her experience at HomeSafe. She said, “Everyone should know that this is the best group home in the world. This is where you go to get real help.”
*Name changed to protect the child.
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