I was in a special unit for my behaviour when I was told by both my social worker and the head teacher I was going to be being taken into care. The social worker had tried to break the news to me in a way that sounded like a sort of ‘birthday surprise’.

I didn’t take this news well - I began to cry, and from the tears I I began to get angry. I lashed out at my social worker and tried to hurt him, and the teacher restrained me before anything happened. He told me that it was a court decision to put me into care, but he didn’t tell me why the courts were involved. This made me even more angry. Then the social worker left quickly with no explanation.

I was emotional all day and told my parents as soon as I got home. They became mad with the social worker as they had wanted to tell me and break the news to me.  After the six weeks holiday I was taken to meet my carer for the first time...I didn’t want to go.

The day I went into care was the most difficult - I didn’t want to unpack my bags...I wanted to go home. I didn’t like being away from mum and dads, and my first few weeks were difficult. I kept all my bags packed and wanted to go home but felt that my social worker was stopping me.

I adjusted to it by first meeting my carers grandchildren, I then slowly opened up to the rest of her family and slowly began talking to my carer. Now we have a much better relationship than when I was first there.