CAS - Chantelle West

Sorry that this is up late. I had some issues with the pictures loading, the next Muellers instalment will be up today, hopefully...

Hello!

My name is Chantelle West, I'm 26 years old and work for (and live in) a foster home for children with mental and physical disabilities.

A lot of people hear how old I am and are surprised by my job, I guess they assume that I'm lot more 'mature' shall we say and that I wanted to be 'a mother to all' but that's not why I got into it at all...

I used to have a severely disabled cousin. He died at the age of six... His parents (my aunt and uncle) couldn't afford his care and the small 1 bed house they rented so we said they could move in with us. I am an only child, therefore having a lot of people in the house was a big change, especially with my cousin needing 24 hour care. Anyway, I looked after him and helped as much as I could, until he died when I was 12.

My mum's best friend was the leader of her local diocese for this charity that I now work for so as soon as I turned 16 I signed up and here I am age 26 still doing it...

I guess the job is more than just a job for me. I met my fianceé, Kieran here and I love spending time with him in our room.

Our room is one of 10 bedrooms housing 8 children who are living here for now, as well as 18 children who are here as part of daycare sessions, a break for carers and parents.

Although we aren't supposed to have favourites, I do have a favourite.

Claire. She is 5 years old and very behind in her development.

She is one of our children who stay over night, every morning she makes me braid her hair. She only began walking just under a year ago ; we don't know when or if she'll ever speak.

Autumn has to be my favourite season

purely because the children love it... They love the piles of leaves to jump in, that it's not warm enough for me to be nagging about sun cream and that it's not cold enough for me to be nagging about jackets, they love the colours of the world...

I love my life. My fianceé, my home and the 26 children in my care. I love them all and would do anything to protect them. I hope that to them that I am a friend, a shining light in a time of darkness...