Barnardo's

Rachel’s Foster Journey

Bringing a Foster Child’s Story to Life

Barnardo’s invited us to bring to life the powerful, first-hand story of Rachel, a child in foster care. Our goal was to authentically capture her voice through animation, creating an emotionally resonant and visually engaging piece that would help potential foster families better understand the thoughts, emotions and lived experiences of children within the UK foster care system.

Illustration of a girl with a backpack stands at a fence looking at children playing on a school field beyond.

Sharing a Lived Experience with Sensitivity

To honour Rachel’s story, we developed a soft, dreamlike animation style using cel animation and 2D After Effects. The visuals were designed to enhance, not overshadow, her voice. Collaborating closely with Rachel and Barnardo’s, we even incorporated her handwriting into the film, adding a deeply personal touch to this powerful foster care awareness project. We loved working on this project. Thank you Barnardo’s and Rachel.

Three pairs of shoes rest by a door under the text “I ended up with Lorraine and David.”

Hands hold a paper chain of girls over text reading “I hated being a girl” on a pastel background.

Illustration of a child shares ice cream with a woman while they sit together on a wooden park bench.

Illustration of a child hammers a tent peg while a woman tightens ropes on an orange tent in a backyard.

A large hand selects from three cards showing a boy’s portrait, someone holding a ball, and feet on a skateboard.