The background
When Shannon and Trinity’s Nan lost her husband in 2022, she could no longer care for the two sisters. Nan had been supported in caring for the sisters by Mercy Community for many years as a kinship carer. Despite being young and vulnerable herself, 20-something Trinity put her hand up to care for her younger sister. As Mercy Community had been working with the family and Trinity since 2015, she was keen for us to continue to support her as the carer for her sister.
How did Mercy Community help/support?
Mercy Community was very happy to help, and a Foster and Kinship Care team manager completed a provisional and initial assessment with Trinity in early 2022. This assessment identified many vulnerabilities including Trinity’s wellbeing, the relationship dynamics, family contact and housing.
The outcome
The young adult carer successfully navigated her transition to adulthood at the same time as caring for her younger sister. Trinity cared for sister Shannon for almost a year. Since the initial assessment, there have been many positive changes made by the young woman. The manager reported: “When I met with Trinity today (in her amazing home), it was clear to me that she has come ahead leaps and bounds since May last year. Trinity expressed a deep appreciation for the support, saying that Mercy Community have been incredibly helpful and friendly to her throughout this experience. When she was praised for all she has done, she became teary and accepted the compliment. This was a big change as during the assessment she was quite dismissive of any praise and struggled to accept the idea she was doing an incredible thing for Shannon. We are so proud of Trinity and of Mercy Community for being able to support this family through a crisis, keep Shannon with family and support Trinity to grow and develop. Closing this case gave us all a great sense of achievement.”
Mercy Community provides support and care for children, young people, and families who are experiencing hardship. Foster and Kinship care are key programs which can change the lives of young people in a positive, supportive way.
Kinship care is a special type of care where children are placed with relatives or close family friends when their parents are unable to care for them. This type of care is important because it keeps children connected to their family and culture while providing them with a safe and stable home environment.
For more information, visit our website here: Kinship & Foster Care Support Services | Mercy Community
