Hello girls and boys,
this is for you who grow up in foster or adoptive families.
Childhood and adolescence can be sometimes difficult, and some moments are hard to wrap your head around. In addition to studying and going to school, you also have to deal with your friends and family relationships from time to time.
As you grow up, you slowly start to change; you no longer love the things you used to enjoy and are looking for new ones to fill your life.
For you who are growing up with foster or adoptive parents, this period could be a little more complicated than for your friends. Surely you often have a lot of questions that need an answer, but maybe you are afraid to ask or you don’t know who to ask.
You may be wondering who your biological parents were, wondering who you inherited the traits from, your skills, talents you have, or your eye colour.
It is important to know that you have the right to the answers to your questions and that there are no wrong questions! Don’t be keep your worries to yourself!
We think it would be best to start looking for the answers together with your loved ones, with people who love you, listen to you, support you, and their greatest wish for you is to be happy and safe. But you may be afraid that you would hurt them with your questions, afraid that they would think you don’t like them enough.
If that’s the case, you can start searching for answers, for example, by reading the information on the links below. You can learn important information about foster care, adoption, but also about your rights. Some of the texts are in the form of comics, and even those who are not proficient readers will find the information here.
Feel free to share what you have learned here with your parents. Trust them that they would be there for you in every situation.
Following links are in Czech.
- Jak to funguje? – Právo na dětství
- Osvojené dítě: Pepík má oslavu
- Dítě v pěstounské péči: Maruška se chystá na cestu
- Dítě v pěstounské péči na přechodnou dobu Pavlíkova dobrodružná plavba
- Důvody, proč děti nežijí se svými rodiči: Jak si kukačka Jitka přála být dobrou maminkou
- Komiks o pěstounské péči: DVA v PP
- Děti – Děti patří domů, z. s.
- Komiks pro děti – Velký Vůz Sever
- Malá knížka o Amálce
- Život v příběhu
You can also ask anonymously at one of the online counselling centres or call the helplines where experts will be happy to advise you and help you:
- info@nahradnirodina.cz
- Poradna Ponton klub
- poradna@detipatridomu.cz
- free helpline: ☏ 116 111
Perhaps you would like to meet children who are in a similar situation and talk to them. That is also an option. There are organizations in the Czech Republic that offer events and meeting groups for children growing up in foster families.
These include: Ponton klub, Děti patří domů. If you do not know of any such meeting group, you can write to us at info@nahradnirodina.cz and we will try to you a suitable club in your area.
We wish you best of luck with finding answers to your questions. We believe that the links and information above will help you on your journey, and that you can see now that you don’t have to go through it on your own!
We are here for you, your Substitute Family Care Centre and the Tereza Maxová Foundation.