Jack's Story
This story centres around a young 10 year old little boy in foster care with Fostering People who is confused about his gender and how his foster carer is helping him feel comfortable with his own identity despite his young age.
About Jack, a foster child with Fostering People
This story centres around a young 10 year old little boy in foster care with Fostering People who is confused about his gender and how his foster carer is helping him feel comfortable with his own identity despite his young age.
Jack has been in care with his current foster parent for a year. Prior to his placement with Fostering People, Jack was in foster parent with his siblings, but Jack had a lot of unresolved anger and he could be aggressive and this placement broke down due to his behaviour. When he come into placement with Fostering People, Jack was described as having negative views of women, but over time his new foster parent has not found this to be the case at all.
Jack has complex feelings and views about his gender. His foster parent tells us more.
“In his previous placement he was enrolled in football teams and the cubs. When he came to me he told me that he didn’t want to go back. I talked to him about what activities would interest him. He choose dance and despite being the only boy in the class he is loving it.
Jack is naturally drawn to traditional female gender stereotype activities and toys. When he first come to live with me he liked playing with the toy kitchen and shop as part of his play, his new favourite toy is a Playmobil dolls house. He likes role playing with the characters and pretending they are auditioning for the ‘X-Factor’.
Jack has indicated that he does not feel like a little boy, he has talked about wanting to have an operation when he is older to become a female and he is very open about this when he talks”.
At home Jack chooses to wear girls sippers and his foster parent enables him to do small things like this that make him feel more comfortable without labelling him and without judgement. This has helped him to feel comfortable and relaxed which has had a big effect on his moods. Despite the challenging behaviour he first presented with, Jack is now a much more relaxed and happy child, due to his foster parent’s understanding and nurturing, he is enable to feel comfortable with his identity despite his young age.