Helen
Helen entered care in her late teens. When it was time to leave, she felt anxious about where she would end up. One of the most positive parts of her time in care was joining a local youth club, where she built strong friendships and felt at home – so the idea of leaving that behind made the move even more stressful. Thankfully, her local authority allowed her to visit her new home before the move, which helped her feel more comfortable. She now has a good relationship with her personal advisor and feels she can turn to them for advice and support. Helen has been in the UK school system for nearly a year and is really enjoying her classes and classmates. She’s proud of how much her English has improved during this time.
Helen came to the UK as a refugee from East Africa and has recently left the care system. Clips read by an actor.
More about me...
I love cooking with friends and going to the gym. It helps me feel relaxed and connected. I’m also part of a weekly leadership club, which has helped me build confidence and learn new skills.
I hope that other young people in care, especially those with experiences like mine, will have better access to healthcare in the future. More than anything, I want to remind other care leavers to be kind to each other. We all carry different stories, and kindness goes a long way.
Helen said her days included reading, cooking, and going to the gym (read by an actor).
Helen said her days included reading, cooking, and going to the gym (read by an actor).
Like I’m on holiday now. Reading, activity, cooking, yeah. Yeah, with other people. Sometimes with my own, with friends. I go to the gym.
When Helen turned 18, she had to move out of borough, away from the area where she went to college (read by an actor).
When Helen turned 18, she had to move out of borough, away from the area where she went to college (read by an actor).
Yeah, but the first time when I came here, like I started with a different one, like with a small college and was two, three months because I was new. Every school was full as well, that’s why. But in September last year, I change it. I will continue with them this year as well.
Oh, OK, OK. So, you’ve changed it like a little bit, but...
Yeah.
Is that in the same area?
No.
No?
No.
OK. Have you moved... have you... they moved you like quite far away or...?
Yeah, it’s quite far away
Oh, OK, OK.
Yeah.
And so, was that... who decided to move you? Was it the... the local authority?
Yeah, the local authority because of my age, I was under 18, and now I’m 18, that’s why.
Helen said she was able to go to her personal adviser with any worries she had (read by an actor).
Helen said she was able to go to her personal adviser with any worries she had (read by an actor).
And how do you feel about them? Like, what do you trust about them? Why are... why are they a good person and that you feel like you can go to?
Like my PA. All people around them, I can trust them.
So, what does your PA do? You know, like how do they help you?
If I’m struggling with everything, she gave me like advice and things.
How often... how much do you see her?
If I want to, I can meet her like every three weeks, monthly.
If I need help, any time.
OK. But you can contact her if you need it.—
Yeah, I can contact her, I can go to her office as well.
OK, OK. So, it sounds like she’s a very good person to... to ask about, you know, anything that worries you or if you have a question.
Yeah.
Helen said it was hard to get an appointment with a GP or nurse, and she often felt they didn’t care (read by an actor).
Helen said it was hard to get an appointment with a GP or nurse, and she often felt they didn’t care (read by an actor).
And then also with anyone else, you know, like if you have a GP, or if there’s a specialist nurse, or even staff or college staff, school staff, I mean, do you have any advice for them? Do you feel like maybe you need to tell them something, whether it’s good or bad?
Maybe GP or nurse.
What would you say to them?
I think something, I don’t know, it’s so hard to find, like, if you’re ill. Like, I don’t know. I don’t see like the care, if you call them, they don’t care, it’s very quiet.
So you feel like they need to support you more?
Yeah.
Is it so hard, to try to get an appointment?
If you’re ill, you can’t do anything now, they say to you after one, two, other point.
So you feel like it’s really hard to see someone?
Yeah.
Helen came to the UK at 17 and was working towards her GCSEs (read by an actor).
Helen came to the UK at 17 and was working towards her GCSEs (read by an actor).
I study like English, Maths, History, Geography, but now I would start in GCSE. I did GCSE Maths.
You did GCSE Maths?
Maths, yeah.
OK.
But now, in September, I will do it like, Science, History, Geography.
OK, OK. So how long have you been in education in the UK?
I started education in the UK like when I came here.
How old were you when you started education in the UK?
So when I was 17.
OK, OK. So you’ve been learning for a year. How are you...—
For a year, yeah.
—how are you finding education in the UK?
It’s good.
Yeah?
Yeah.
What do you like about it?
I like everything. Especially when I came here, I wasn’t to know English and now my... I improve my English. Yeah, and they explain you good. Yeah, it’s so good.