At Hull Fostering, we know that smiles matter. They lift us up, bring us closer together, and often remind us of the little things that make life brighter.
That’s why earlier this year we launched the What Makes You Smile? Competition, a creative challenge designed especially for children and young people in our fostering family.
It wasn’t about who could draw the neatest picture or write the longest poem. It was about sharing joy. We wanted to hear directly from our young people about the things that bring them happiness, comfort, and laughter. And the response we received was truly heartwarming.
The What Makes You Smile? competition came about because we wanted to celebrate our children and young people in care. Too often, their voices can be overlooked, but their experiences, their ideas, and the things that make them smile are what matter most.
We wanted to give them a platform to express themselves, whether through art, words, or photographs, and to show them that their happiness is important. It was also a chance to spark positive conversations in homes, encouraging children and carers to sit together, create, and reflect on what makes them feel good.
The competition was open to children and young people with care experience, those currently fostered by a Hull Fostering carer and young people in supported lodgings
Entries could be anything creative, from a single word or photo to a full drawing, poem, or song. What mattered most was the meaning behind it.
The highlight of the competition came at Foster Fest, where we revealed the winner in front of our fostering community.
Our judging panel, made up of two adults with care experience, a 12-year-old young judge, Fostering Team Manager Marie, and Laura, our Recruitment & Retention Officer, had the tough job of choosing from the incredible entries. But in the end, they were unanimous.
The winner was a talented 15-year-old young lady, whose heartfelt poem and beautiful drawing touched every single one of us. Her piece was more than creative, it was real, raw, and straight from the heart. It captured the true spirit of the competition: finding light and joy even through life’s challenges.
The celebrations didn’t stop there. Thanks to John (pictured in our final photo), who grew up in care himself, our winner received a brand-new PlayStation 5 as her prize.
John generously donated it because he wanted to give something special back to a young person in care today. His act of kindness came from a place of lived experience. He knows how important those moments of joy can be. His gift wasn’t just about a console; it was about passing on hope, happiness, and encouragement.
While we’re so proud of our winner, we also want to celebrate every single young person who entered. Your drawings, poems, photos, and words reminded us of the countless reasons to smile, whether it’s family, friends, pets, hobbies, or little everyday moments.
You showed us resilience, creativity, and joy. And for that, we are truly grateful.
To every entrant: thank you. Your voices and your smiles are what inspire us at Hull Fostering to keep doing what we do.
The What Makes You Smile? competition was about more than winning a prize. It was about celebrating young people, shining a light on what makes them happy, and recognising the strength and creativity within our fostering community.
To our winner: congratulations, you made us all smile.
To John: thank you for your kindness and generosity.
To every young person who entered: never stop creating, never stop smiling, and never stop sharing your light with the world.
Together, you’ve reminded us that joy is powerful, and smiles truly can change lives.
