Meet Milly...
- I Love dolls and drawing with glitter pens
- Rainbows and anything sparkly are my favourite things
- Sometimes I can be shy and finds it hard to trust people
- When I feel safe, I love being loud and dancing to my own beat
- I'm 9 years old in September
My Story...
Did you know that without rain, you can’t have rainbows? That’s why I love the rain. It means there’s a chance we might see one.​
I live with my Grandma, in a big old house out of town. I love it here because I can dance with the ducks outside and sing as loud as I want. My grandma used to be a teacher but now she spends her days in her big garden and taking care of her ducks... and me every day.
​
Two years ago, my mum and dad died in a car accident. At first they didn't If i had any family to live with, but then they fiund my grandma and she couldn't wait to take care of me.​ It's taken a little while, but we made a really good team. Now this is my forever home.
Grief • Displacement • Sadness • Hope
Focus: bereavement, loss of family, emotional expression, and the slow return of joy.
.png)
A note to readers...
For children like Milly, loss doesn’t come as a single moment—it arrives all at once and then keeps returning.
When Milly’s parents died, her world changed overnight. Home, family, and everything familiar were gone. Along with grief came confusion, sadness, and the frightening feeling of not knowing where—or with whom—she belonged. Living in Out of Home Care can feel like standing in the middle of a storm. Decisions are made quickly. Moves can happen without warning. For a child, this loss of control can be just as painful as the loss itself.
How grief and displacement can feel
Children like Milly may experience:
-
Deep sadness and longing for what has been lost
-
Confusion about why changes happened and what will happen next
-
Anxiety in new homes, schools, and relationships
-
Fear of getting attached in case it doesn’t last
-
A sense of powerlessness and lack of choice
-
Feeling different, unseen, or misunderstood
How these feelings can show up
Grief often speaks through behaviour. Children may:
-
Withdraw or appear overly quiet
-
Become controlling or rigid to create a sense of safety
-
Struggle with transitions or new experiences
-
Push people away, even when they want closeness
-
Use imagination, movement, or play to express what words cannot
These are not signs of misbehaviour—they are signs of loss.
What helps
Children like Milly need more than time. They need felt safety.
Support looks like:
-
Predictable, calm caregiving
-
Honest explanations, given gently and repeatedly
-
Opportunities for choice and control
-
Permission to grieve in their own way
-
Relationships that stay, even when things feel hard
When children feel safe enough, joy can return.
Sometimes it looks like dancing in the rain— and sometimes, like believing a rainbow might still come.