Hi, I'm Kelly and I recently met a young adult (20years old) who grew up in out of home care. You might know it as foster care but this person didn't always live with a foster family. For most of their teen years, they lived in residential ('resi') care, which is like a group home for other children who haven't been (or can't be) placed with a foster family or kinship carers.

Why does this matter and why do they need help?

If you're a parent or an aunty/uncle, you know that kids need your help. They don't suddenly turn 18 and stop needing mum and dad to have their back. It might be for a small loan for a rental bond, or for help with a big bill, or just to cook or shout a meal once a week. For kids in care, when you become an adult at 18 years and leave resi, there isn't a parent or foster carer to go to for this kind of help. They're on their own.

The Qld Gov has made some changes on this - kids who leave care can now get up to $18k per annum to help them with the cost of living. BUT... this person missed out on this help by FIVE WEEKS. Yep - it was for people who turned 18 years on or after 1 July and their birthday was in MAY. SO UNFAIR.

Now, this person is doing pretty great. They're studying full-time and working part-time. They're in a healthy relationship. They're helping out their younger siblings where they can. BUT we all know the COST OF LIVING is expensive and I'd love to show them that this is a community who cares about them and wants to have their back, just like a big village of aunties and uncles.

PLEASE... if you can spare any cash, I'd be eternally grateful.

ps. I have not named the young person here for their privacy and I will leave it to them to thank this community when they are ready.