Last month, a mother and her teenage son held a quiet yet significant celebration dinner. After 12 years in out-of-home care, Tom*, now in his teens, officially reunited with his mum, Angie*. Restoring this family was made possible with the hard work and dedication of many people involved, especially Tom and Angie.
Tom entered out-of-home care as a toddler and experienced multiple placements before hope, family, and a brighter future became possible after being placed through CASPA.
Nobody could have predicted that this would be the beginning of this family's remarkable journey.
The CASPA team quickly set to exploring permanency options for Tom. Having experienced such instability in his short life, Tom was a withdrawn child, struggling and disinterested in school. His challenges extended far beyond the classroom, as he had been disconnected from his mother, siblings, father, and grandparents who all lived in another city.
Tom hadn't had contact with Angie for seven years, and his only family connection during this time was with one of his siblings.
CASPA, however, was determined to help Tom rewrite his story. The dedicated team embarked on a mission to reunite Tom with his family, recognizing the importance of the bonds of kinship.
Over many months, CASPA began the challenging task of developing trust and rapport with Angie and Tom's entire family network.
With his caseworker by his side, Tom slowly started to rebuild his relationship with Angie through phone calls, Facetime sessions, and regular short visits.
It was during these visits that Angie started to share her deep feelings of guilt, remorse, and disempowerment that contributed to her disconnection from Tom. With the support of CASPA, Angie began her own journey of healing and rebuilding their relationship.
Through the power of meaningful, trusting relationships, CASPA helped the family achieve a significant milestone along their restoration journey when Tom's older brother and his wife agreed to care for him and provided him with a loving and connected family environment. With the support of his caseworker and foster care family, Tom slowly transitioned into his new family life.
Settling into his kinship care placement, Tom's world began to open up. He reconnected with his other siblings and spent quality time with his mother.
Meanwhile, CASPA discovered that Angie had also made significant positive changes in her life. With the right support, the CASPA team saw that it was clear Tom could return to Angie's care permanently.
Over the next two years, CASPA worked closely with Tom, Angie, and the family, along with other key supporters, to facilitate the family's restoration, which became official this month.
Today, Tom is a confident teenager, excelling in school, working part-time, and enjoying the love and support of his family.
Tom, who once faced a fractured future, is now looking forward to fulfilling his dreams and continuing his education at university.
This family's restoration symbolizes not just a triumph for Tom and Angie but also for the unwavering dedication and commitment of their CASPA team.
To know more about CASPA's Family Restoration program or to become a carer, please contact our Permanency Support team here.
*Names changed to protect privacy
