About the children

Chloe and Ciara* have been adopted, this was their story: 

Chloe and Ciara’s birth mother Jo was known to use drugs and alcohol during her pregnancies. Jo had a very traumatic childhood herself and had very little support around her as a parent. Jo’s mental health and addictions were variable – at times when her mental health was more stable, she was able to tend to the girls needs better, but when she was struggling her substance use would increase and the girls were both physically and emotionally neglected. Chloe took on the role of feeding and looking after her sister at these times. The girls’ parents had an on and off relationship; when they were together there were often reports of raised voices, and the girls eventually came into care following a domestic disturbance where both Jo and Chloe were physically assaulted by the girls’ father. The girls have had regular contact with Jo since being taken into care, and this has been very important particularly for Chloe as she worries about her mum.

Chloe and Ciara have always lived together, and have a close relationship – they play together brilliantly and have lots of fun but have plenty of disagreements too! Chloe tends to take on a caring role with Ciara, and their foster carers are trying to help Chloe learn that it is not her job to look after her sister.

Chloe is a kind, polite little girl who enjoys baking and playing with her dolls. She is very cautious around strangers, but more relaxed and happier with her foster carers. Chloe can be pre-occupied with food, and often tries to hoard food in her bedroom. Chloe is a bit behind her peers but is managing school well and is well liked by her classmates and teachers.

Ciara is an energetic, active little girl who loves climbing and playing outdoors. Ciara has a great sense of humour and likes to make people laugh. Ciara can be very strong-willed and needs clear boundaries in order to feel safe. Ciara is very bright but is slightly delayed in her speech and language. Ciara has a short attention span and tends to flit from one activity to another.

The girls need a parent or parents who can understand the impact their early experiences have had on their development. They need someone who can parent with confidence, maintaining good boundaries while being empathetic to the girls’ needs. They need a family who have the energy to care for two active children, and to meet their differing needs. It is expected that the girls will continue to have face-to-face contact with Jo on an annual basis after being adopted, so prospective adopters will need to be able to support the girls with this.

*story based on real life fostering situations. All names have been anonymised.