I should be dead or in prison - now I'm reunited with the teacher who changed my life

"Statistically I should be dead, in prison, or homeless."

Sam Gardner lived in 15 foster homes between the ages of three and 17 and said the instability was a "big challenge".

He never felt at home anywhere and was sometimes hungry and neglected. When he left the care system at 18, his future was uncertain.

But he said a few "anchors" helped him to lay the foundations for adulthood. Now, the BBC has helped to reunite the 33-year-old with one of them - his former teacher who "saw past" Sam being a child in foster care.

"She made me feel like I belonged," said Sam, who went on to become a teacher himself.

Sam said he didn't really feel at home until he met his last set of foster carers, when he was aged 17.

Despite his start in life, Sam defied the odds to become a primary school teacher, inspired by one special woman who he said believed in him at his school in south Wales.

"She wasn't a perfect teacher but she saw past my label as a looked-after child. She also demanded that I didn't look at that label," recalled Sam.

He said before joining Christine Meek's class aged eight, school was a "challenging place" and that he was academically two years behind his peers.

Sam's story of hope comes after a recent report found young care leavers in England are dying at a far higher rate than other people their age.

BBC Wales reunited Ms Meek and Sam at St Michael's Catholic Primary School in Pontypridd, where she first taught him 25 years ago.

"I just want to say you've changed my life, I wouldn't be where I am without you," said Sam, as he hugged Ms Meek.

She replied: "It's you who should be proud of what you've done, because it's you who has done it."

Ms Meek described Sam as "quiet" in school "but that he also tested boundaries".

"I didn't know a lot about Sam's background and in some ways I think that helps," she said.

"The expectations were the same for everyone in the class."

Ms Meek said it was a pleasure to hear what Sam had gone on to achieve in his life.

"As a teacher you plant seeds, you don't know what they're going to grow and that's a lovely thing," she added.

Sam said: "Walking back through those doors as the person I am today, I realised just how much of St Michael's I'd carried with me.

"My childhood involved so much change, but that school gave me something steady to stand on."

He said it was emotional being back, and a privilege to catch up with Ms Meek.

"Ms Meek and the other adults there planted seeds in me that I probably couldn't see at the time, but they became part of the foundation I grew from," he said.

Sam, who now lives in Swansea, has recently been looking through his care files and shared an excerpt with the BBC.

"Sadly there has been a great deterioration in Sam's behaviour at school and he is the cause of much concern," one read. "His class teacher is emotionally drained. He is disruptive, erratic and volatile."

Sam said it had been "overwhelming" reading about his childhood in the files.

With Ms Meek as his teacher, Sam was able to improve and meet school grade expectations.

"I was able to believe in myself because of the foundation she created," he recalled.

"She made me feel like I belonged and because of that I was able to achieve my potential."

Sam said he had more than 50 professionals in his life, and having "anchors" who supported him was vital.

It is estimated there are currently around 7,000 children in foster care in Wales and 54,000 in England, according to government data.

A UK government-commissioned review found young care leavers in England are dying at a far higher rate than other people their age, with the report co-author calling the deaths "a national tragedy".

"The corporate parent is meant to be your parent," said Sam. "What kind of parent allows that to happen to their children? We need to wake up.

"The hardest part of being in foster care is the transitions, moving from home to home, often with your stuff in black bags.

"It signals that you're different, that you don't belong, you're not valued."

Sam's reunion comes after Foster Wales launched a pilot across 37 schools in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot in May, with the aim of connecting local authority fostering services directly with schools.

"We talk a lot about the power of one caring adult in a child's life, and that could be a teacher or member of staff within the school," said Alistair Cope, head of Foster Wales.

"It's been fantastic to see Sam sharing the importance of that, he's a phenomenal individual for telling his story."

It is hoped the pilot will improve the support offered to children in care, so they can thrive in an educational environment.

Sketty Primary School in Swansea is one of those taking part in the pilot.

"We are lucky to have such strong networks of care and support around our children - and this initiative helps shine a light on that," said headteacher Simon Lloyd-Jones.

"It also highlights the way schools go above and beyond to support some of our most vulnerable learners, including looked-after children, helping them feel safe, valued and able to thrive."

Sam left teaching last year to work as a keynote speaker and trainer drawing on his lived experiences.

He said it was his role to "speak up in rooms for children who can't always speak up for themselves".

"My role isn't to call foster carers out, call the system out on what they've done wrong and how it's affected me and my life," said Sam.

"It's more to show the impact we can have on thousands of children in this country.

"Children in care experience instability on another level, and that's often misunderstood, so the more we can understand the better we can provide the support they need."

The Welsh government said it "recognises the concerns raised" by people who have been in care.

"Sustained support for care leavers is vital, particularly as they transition into adulthood," their statement added.

If you or someone you know has been affected by the issues raised in this story, information about available help and support can be found viaBBC Action Line.