Alex's Answer

Hi there, 

Thank you for getting in touch again with us here at Ask Alex. It sounds like there is still a lot going on for you right now with your foster parents around how they treat you and that they continue to gaslight you and accuse you of gaslighting them.. 

Gaslighting someone is not a nice thing to do and can leave anyone feeling very hurt. It’s no surprise that you are feeling confused by their inconsistent behaviour and wondering what you should do. We would be concerned that this was happening to you. Have you tried speaking with them about how this all makes you feel? 

If you aren’t ready or aren’t able to speak with your foster parents about this, you have the right to talk to someone about how you are feeling. There may be an adult in your life that you trust that you could speak to such as a teacher, social worker, coach or someone else close to you. Talking about our experiences can provide relief and furthermore, this adult may be able to point you in the direction of additional support, if that is what you need. They may even be willing to speak with your foster parents on your behalf or be there with you if/when you speak with them.  

Remember, you can always phone Childline on 1800 66 66 66 to talk about what is going on for you if you don’t feel ready to talk to someone in your life quite yet. We are here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and our Web Chat service through https://www.childline.ie/, is also available daily. While we will not tell you what to do, we are here to listen to and support you, and to help you to explore the options that are available to you in your life. We are here to help you in a way that suits you.   

Thanks for getting in touch,   

Alex