Liz’s Story

Liz and Barry had a lot of love to give, but not a lot of space.

So, in 1993, the family received one of the very first Kids Under Cover Studios.

Liz says “The studio enabled us to continue doing what we loved, foster caring”

For almost 15 years, the couple had a diverse range of young people through the studio at different times.

Each young person who lived in the studio has their own history and their own story, as Liz recalls.

“Many of the teenage girls came from ‘Cinderella situations’ in blended families”, which meant the young person could no longer live at their family home and were placed in the nurturing care of Liz and Barry.

Liz said often their stories were quite upsetting and she loved the opportunity to give these young people a welcoming home. The studio gave them their own space and sense of responsibility. She said the warm family environment and the independence of the studio was winning combination!

“The studio was normalising for the young people, the teenage girls especially loved having friends stay over in their very own space,” Liz remembers fondly.

Liz and Barry became important figures in the lives of the young people who lived in their studio and had the honour of attending many 18th and 21st birthday celebrations as well as debutante balls in their time since being foster carers.

They remain in touch with their most recent foster child, who Liz says is doing really well.

“He has a job and has moved out of home over a year ago. This is a great outcome from where he was in his early life” Liz explains.