Sarah* lived in a residential home all her life, so when she had to leave at 16 she was catapulted into a world of poverty and debt where drugs and prostitution were presented to her as solutions.

Many of the girls who were with me at the home take drugs and several of them got pregnant young

Now, the 25-year-old looks back and wishes she had more support and guidance during that difficult time of her life. These past years, during which she became a mother, have been a constant struggle to pay her rent and put food on the table.

“I left the home when I was 16 because I had to. I went crazy. I felt alone. Why me? It was not fair. Something needs to be done to help children in that horrible situation,” she said.

This issue was raised a few months ago in a report by the Children’s Commissioner. Entitled Children In Out-of Home Care In Malta, the study recommended “seriously reconsidering” the age of leaving care, now set at 16, and spoke about the urgent need for semi-independent facilities that support children until the age of, at least, 21.

A spokeswoman for the Commissioner said there were a number of homes that kept children beyond the age of 16.

However, “there is the need for stronger aftercare plans, schemes and services in terms of life skills, education, employment, accommodation and social services to assist care leavers once they depart the home and pursue independent living”.

The report included interviews with two young men who, like Sarah, were out on the streets at 16.

Raymond* said that after the trauma of being taken away from his abusive parents to be placed in a residential home he had to experience another “leap in the dark” when he turned 16 and had to live alone in a slum.

Daniel* described the period as a “huge mess” that was “psychologically traumatic”.

Fr Saviour Grima, who heads the Millennium chapel in Paceville, has met several young people in this situation.

“Very often they don’t have enough money to keep them going and find it difficult to find a job. They need to be followed by a social worker or community worker,” he said.

“You have to keep in mind that they come from a troubled background,” he said, giving the floor to Sarah to tell her story.

Sarah was born to a prostitute and was placed in a home when she was a baby. For the first few years, she lived in the home with her younger brother but he was moved to a boys-only home when he was about eight.

“I remember him being driven away and I cried,” she admitted. When she turned 16, she was told it was time for her to leave. A nun helped her with some money to pay the first rent.“Men come up to you and ask you to sleep with them for money. But I didn’t give in. I was not raised that way,” she said, adding that she knew of girls like her who succumbed to the world of easy money.

“My friend ended up in Gżira, got an infection and died. Many of the girls who were with me at the home take drugs and several of them got pregnant young. You are alone and want nothing but love. So when a man shows you affection, you can’t resist,” she said.

Sarah eventually started working as a cleaner to make ends meet. Over the years she hopped around many apartments, sometimes being kicked out because she could not make the rent.

A few years ago she met a man from who she had a child, who is now four. Her child has health problems and Sarah has to stay home looking after him and so can’t work.

“I want to work because I want to be able to help myself. I give my son all the love I did not get. I love nobody as much as I love him. My dream is to set up a good home here for him.” Sarah and her son now live in a government flat but, when she moved in, she found that whoever left before her took the toilet and the sink with them.“We use a bucket,” she said matter-of-factly. She does not have hot water in the bathroom and her kitchen consists of a donated cooker and two chairs.

Anyone who wishes to help Sarah can do so by contacting Fr Saviour on 7961 7366 or contact the chapel on 2135 4464 or 2138 1172 or send an e-mail toinfo@millenniumchapel.org.

*Names and details have been changed to protect their identity.