Gina from Schalkwijk recently celebrated her fifteenth birthday, with her mother Emmely and her foster mother Judith. She lived with Judith for two years, because her own parents had difficulty raising the girl from Haarlem. The fact that things are going so well now and that her foster mother is still in their lives is told through the lens of a photographer and in a special exhibition.
“I now see a happy girl again,” says her mother Emmely (32), visibly relieved. She is waiting for the photographer to take pictures for the exhibition. Meanwhile, Gina (15) is making coffee in the kitchen. An everyday scene, but very special in this family.
When Gina was twelve years old, she often ran away, looking for adventure on the streets and away from her mother, who often turned to the bottle due to stress. It was certainly not safe with her father. He was too harsh on her. “At school they saw that I had red welts on my throat and a black eye.”
Crisis shelter
That is the moment when Foster Care comes into play. Gina is removed from her home and ends up in the crisis shelter of Judith and her husband Karel. Life for Gina is good and quiet in Aerdenhout with seasoned foster parents, with three children of her own and a foster child they adopted.
“We did not intend for her to stay here long, but Gina was doing well here. And there are too few foster families,” says Judith (62). “And what if things didn’t go well for her in the next foster home. We wanted to see where the ship would founder.”
Foster parents
The fact that the ship does not run aground is entirely thanks to Emmely, Gina’s mother. She finds it difficult at first to accept that Gina no longer wants to live with her, but she quickly realizes that she has to change.
“Many mothers think, ‘Oh no, my child has been removed from home’. And I understand very well that mothers are not happy about that,” Emmely says candidly. “But you should really just be happy that people want to help.”
After two years she has her daughter back home. And as a bonus, she has a close bond with foster mother Judith. “When it was Gina’s birthday, I also congratulated her on our child. We both want the best for Gina.”
Grandma-mother
“Mum doesn’t want Judith to leave, she’s like a granny-mother now.” Gina resumes her life with school, sports and friends. Gina and Judith watch together as she finds her way. “I am very proud of my mother that she is doing well again.” And in the meantime she is very grateful for the peace she has found with foster mother Judith and her husband Karel.