When a child arrives at their first foster placement, they often arrive with their belongings (if any) in a garbage or plastic grocery bag. And, if they are in multiple consecutive placements, they may not even have the same pillow and blanket they slept with the night before. Nothing personal. Nothing to call their very own.
How do I know this? From the age of 12 thru the age of 18, I was in the foster care program. I vividly remember going into care with no clothing or personal belongings. Then, over the next six years, I was in more than 16 foster homes. I traveled to the different placements with my limited belongings in a trash bag or a box. Nothing really personal. Nothing really to call my very own.
