Rockingham mothers speak about foster care system
For two Rockingham mothers, growing up in foster care changed their lives for the better, but it also came with identity crises and mental health issues.
With more than 450 young people in foster care in Rockingham and Peel, the duo wanted to highlight the value of stable support in a child's life ahead of Child Protection Week next month.
Baldivis mum Larnie Turner was placed in foster care when she was taken from her mother's abusive partner at the age of two.
She had fond memories of the family she spent 12 years with.
"They were all I knew as family. They gave me stability, (and) I felt safe and understood what it meant to belong to a family," Ms Turner said.
She said the support from her four foster families helped her through her identity issues and depression, which paved the way for a healthy family of her own with fiance Mitchel Lysaght and son Tomas, 2.
Tash Dale was put in Parkerville Children's Home aged four as her mother did not want her.
After two years, Ms Dale was placed with a foster family but felt she did not belong.
"In school I had no friends because I didn't want people to get bored of me and not want me," she said.
Her mental health and outlook had dramatically improved since meeting partner Lance Allen and having her children Andrew, 2, and Cailee, 14 months.
