My name is Felicity Graham, I grew up in care since I was 7 years old and recently launched a children’s book to support other kids in care.
As a child, I often felt alone and misunderstood, like I was the only one in the world that didn’t live with my mum and dad and had parents who I called by their first name.
I was the only kid to be pulled out of school for “care team meetings” and constantly had to explain to other children in my classroom what foster care was.
Eventually I met others who also had been in out-of-home care, but I still had many unanswered questions about my upbringing, history and wondered if my parents didn’t want me.
As I grew up, I learned that it was more the fact they couldn’t look after me.
When I was a teenager with only three years left until I was no longer under guardianship, I learned that I had rights in care.
This was something so unheard of in my upbringing.
It meant when I was younger, I didn’t realise when my rights weren’t met — let alone there were people who could advocate for me when my voice wasn’t being heard.
In 2021, I launched my own advocacy company, Fostering Change Australia, with the aim of using my story to advocate for young people in care and make a positive difference in the child protection system.
Fast-forward to 2023, I decided to finally start a dream I had since I was a young girl and write a children’s book, which is called Oscar’s Layers.
Oscar’s Layers is my second book following my autobiography Not Held Down.
Writing Oscars Layers not only healed my inner child, but it was a way for me to help make sure other young kids don’t feel outcasted while there were in care.
I wanted them to feel empowered to embrace their family, no matter what that may look like.
Most importantly, I wanted them to know asking for help is brave!
When I was a child and feeling too scarred or overwhelmed to communicate my feelings to my carers, I used a notebook to write what I was thinking and feeling.
My carers would also use it to write back messages until I was ready to voice what was on my mind because I was feeling more comfortable in my placement.
I have set a goal to place every book alongside an Oscar onion plush toy in the hands of every child in foster care South Australia wide.
My journey has not always been easy, but I have learned that my voice is the most important part of who I am, and my story can change lives.
When I’m not writing the next future bestseller, I am advocating for much-needed changes in the system and cheering on my fellow advocates because we can’t make change happen alone.
Oscar’s Layers can be purchased through Felicity’s website, Fostering Change Australia.
