It comes as it is National Fostering Awareness Month.
A 22-year-old from Naas has shared his experiences of living in foster care in Ireland.
It comes as it is National Fostering Awareness Month.
According to Tusla Fostering, 686 children living in foster families across Dublin and mid Leinster, which includes south Dublin, Kildare, Longford and Westmeath as well as 392 foster carers.
Seán was in foster care from the age of 14 until 18.
Speaking on Kildare Today, Seán, shared his experiences living in foster care:
"I was fairly lucky in the foster parents I did end up with and I feel like the transition was a lot easier there."
The cultural transition was also one that he had to navigate, as his parents are non-Irish and his foster parents are Irish.
"It was a pretty big change and culturally as well, having parents that are from a different country, to being with an Irish family, such as food, and sort of the people I meet as well, is very different.
After leaving his foster home, he was pointed in the direction of counselling:
"There's a local counselling place for kids and teenagers that I used for a while. And in terms of supports, I found the social care workers were very helpful."
"They were on call a lot of the time. I didn't really ask for much, but what I did ask for, they were able to help."
He also also spoke about children who enter foster care, paying tribute to his experience aswell:
"It's just they need that guiding hand to bring them to a place where they feel safer or better about themselves. And I know we've had a few foster kids come in here and maybe stay for like a short while. And I feel like even that has made an impact on them."
Looking to the future, Seán has completed a three year PLC course, and hoping to move into a level 7 degree.
The full interview can be heard below:
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