Finding space to be yourself when you’re in care
For children in care, everyday life can feel tightly controlled. Where you live, who you live with, and even small routines can change suddenly. Many young people experience repeated placement moves, separation from siblings, stigma and restrictions that their peers don’t face – leaving little space to process emotions or simply be themselves.
National research shows that children in care are significantly more likely to experience poor mental health than other young people. Around 45% have a diagnosable mental health condition, and many report loneliness, bullying and feeling different from their peers. For young people navigating these pressures, opportunities for self-expression and autonomy are often limited.
That’s where our:voices comes in.
our:voices is Create’s multi-artform project for children in care and care leavers, designed to offer creative space away from judgement and expectation. Working with our professional artists, young people are supported to express themselves, connect with others who understand their experiences, and explore creativity on their own terms.
For Carys and Amy*, two young people who took part in our our:voices projects in Bolton, that space was vital.
Living with instability
Carys (14) moved into care when she was 10. Since then, she has experienced multiple placements and the emotional toll that comes with them.
“My first placement was good, but then I kept having arguments with them. It was kind of breaking down. So I had to move, but my brother stayed. Then I had a foster sister [who] wasn’t very nice, so that didn’t work out.”
Like many children in care, Carys experienced separation from family members and the uncertainty of not knowing where she would settle next:
Now I’m with carers that have been my favourite. I actually love them. I’m a nicer person now and I’m a lot happier.
carys, our:Voices participant
Making art when you can’t find the words
During a three-day our:voices visual art project led by our visual artist Laura-Kate Pontefract, Carys explored abstract painting inspired by Monet. At first, she felt unsure.
“I was a little stressed at first because I couldn’t [paint]. But then I was really happy with the ending – it just came together!”
As the project progressed, art became a way to process feelings that might otherwise stay bottled up:
“If I was feeling something, I’d just [put] it onto my canvas.”
She described discovering something new about herself through the process:
“I’ve learned that I can actually paint and that it’s nice to express your feelings onto a piece of paper. Patience is the key to success!”
For young people who have had little control over their circumstances, having agency over what they create can be powerful.
feeling different from other children
Amy (15) has been in care for nearly five years. In August 2025, she took part in an our:voices photography project with our photographer Louisa Mayman, learning about angles, editing and visual storytelling:
“We’ve created a lot of pictures in different ways, which I didn’t know that you could do.”
For Amy, the project offered more than technical skills. It offered a break from isolation:
“[Doing this project] has made me more confident in myself and it makes me feel a lot more happy because it gets me out of the house. It was really good because I got to interact with other [children in care].”
She spoke about the realities of being looked after:
“Being looked after, it can be hard. You see different carers, you get treated differently by people or get bullied for being in care.”
Amy described the everyday restrictions many children in care live with:
“You have a curfew, you have to hand your phone in, or you’ll get in trouble.“
It’s completely different from kids being at home with their parents.
amy, our:voices participant
“I like to socialise and pick up ideas from other people. I’m not [usually] good at art, but I’ve surpassed myself here and made things I really like. It’s a nice group and everybody helps each other.”
A PLACE TO BE YOURSELF
Research shows that care-experienced young people are far more likely to report loneliness and low life satisfaction than their peers, and many struggle to find spaces where they feel understood. Projects like our:voices don’t remove these challenges, but they do create moments of agency, expression and belonging within them.
By centring young people’s voices and experiences, and allowing them to make choices, explore ideas and work alongside peers, creativity becomes a way to reclaim a sense of self.
As Amy put it:
“I think it’s good for young people [in general], not just children in care.”
*Names changed to protect anonymity
