These life stories may contain descriptions of childhood trauma and abuse, as well as images, voices and names of people now deceased. If you need help, you can find contact details for some relevant support services on our support page.

Victorian-based award-winning volunteer, advocate, activist, and author, Tracie Oldham (b. 1962), was in voluntary placed kinship care as a child.

Tracie recently published her book, My Shitty Life, which details her suffering in kinship care, her transition to adulthood via homelessness, and her community service work over decades. She is currently lobbying the Victorian state parliament to have Voluntary Placed Survivors formally recognised as Care Leavers.

Tracie Oldham received a Hume City Council Citizen of the Year Award on 26 January 2020 for her community service. She was described by the Council as “a truly tireless advocate for mental health, raising awareness and working to ease the stigma and misconceptions around mental illness. Her passion for helping others has had lasting results, particularly through the three support groups she leads.”

In the above video, Tracie mentions: