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Chantelle talked about her experiences leaving state care. RTE/Screengrab
aftercare

'It makes you appreciate the fortunate start in life most of us got'

Did you watch last night’s RTÉ documentary?

AN RTÉ DOCUMENTARY focusing on the experiences of young people leaving State Care in Ireland had people talking on Twitter yesterday evening.

The programme makers spoke to teenagers who had left state care and were now in aftercare programmes — and finding their feet as adults.

State care 

Tony, who was living with his mother, talked about how he hit a wall with his fist and the police were called.

He now sleeps rough.

It feels normal to me now which it probably shouldn’t.

Another girl, Chantelle, spoke about the positive and negatives of being in state care.

“Looking back there was negatives and positives about being in care. I was safe… I got back into education.”

She has been offered a third-level education course in Carlow.

Mike from Limerick said he is now getting into the swing of normal life.

I am losing the sadness and desperation I have had in the last few years.

He said he wants his own family, and doesn’t want his kids to go through what he did.

We have a right like anyone else to reach our full potential.
Trending under #aftercare, people gave their thoughts:

Did you see the programme last night. What did you think?  

Judge: ‘It is not very often I get to do this’ – Two children returned to mother after three years in care>

A Week in the Family Court: 6,500 children are in care – here are some of their stories>

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