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A Family Torn Between the Lines
This is the part no one sees. Our daughter has been home for nearly two weeks — not because the system decided she was ready, not because a court order changed, but because she ran.She walked away from foster care, quietly, and came back to us. Not in crisis.Not chaotic.Just… needing her family. She’s nearly… Continue reading A Family Torn Between the Lines
When the Truth Isn’t Enough: A Mother’s Story
Disclaimer: This blog is based on my lived experience. All statements reflect documented events, personal records, professional communications, and my own interpretation of what has taken place. Where possible, I have retained evidence to support my account. This post is not intended to name individuals or violate court orders, but to raise awareness of the… Continue reading When the Truth Isn’t Enough: A Mother’s Story
Is She Vulnerable — Or Just Waking Up?
They keep calling her vulnerable.But no one explains what she’s supposedly vulnerable to.Not to us — her parents. Not to school. Not to danger.So what is it, exactly?She isn’t hiding. She isn’t breaking down. She isn’t unsafe.She’s waking up.She’s said it herself: “I like foster care. They throw money at me.”And as a teenager, that’s… Continue reading Is She Vulnerable — Or Just Waking Up?
A Week in Limbo: When Safety Isn’t Enough
In just a few hours, it will have been a full week since our daughter arrived at our door — shaken, triggered, but safe. Not in crisis. Not hiding. Not unsafe. Just a child who needed comfort and ran to the one place she’s always instinctively known to be home. And since then, she’s still… Continue reading A Week in Limbo: When Safety Isn’t Enough
6: Degrees Don’t Equal Experience: A Parent’s Perspective
Conclusion: Our Voices Aren’t Optional — They’re Essential Over the past five posts, I’ve laid out something that so many families experience but rarely get the space to say out loud: this system often speaks about us, but not to us. It relies on qualifications and checklists, but not always on understanding. It holds parents… Continue reading 6: Degrees Don’t Equal Experience: A Parent’s Perspective
5: Degrees Don’t Equal Experience: A Parent’s Perspective
Part Five: What Lived Experience Could Teach the System Throughout this series, I’ve spoken about what it feels like to be a parent in a system that often sees us as less than. Less informed. Less credible. Less worthy of trust. And the root of that imbalance usually comes down to one thing: lived experience… Continue reading 5: Degrees Don’t Equal Experience: A Parent’s Perspective
4: Degrees Don’t Equal Experience: A Parent’s Perspective
Part Four: When Reports Rewrite Your Reality There’s a moment that hits harder than most in this system — and it’s not always the courtroom or the meetings. Sometimes, it’s seeing your life described in black and white on a piece of paper… and not recognising yourself in it. Reports are supposed to reflect facts.… Continue reading 4: Degrees Don’t Equal Experience: A Parent’s Perspective
3: Degrees Don’t Equal Experience: A Parent’s Perspective
Part Three: The Power Imbalance in the Room There’s a particular kind of silence that fills the room when you’re a parent sitting across from professionals. It’s not just quiet — it’s heavy. Like you’ve walked into a place where your voice is already smaller before you’ve even opened your mouth. Case conferences. Core group… Continue reading 3: Degrees Don’t Equal Experience: A Parent’s Perspective
The Silent Partner
When I first created The Girl Speaks, it was my voice — my story — my fight.But behind me, there has always been another heart breaking too.My husband.He did not live the life I lived. He didn't grow up with a system of broken promises.He believed, at first, that the authorities were there to help.… Continue reading The Silent Partner
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