Amy and 7 of her 8 children, aged between 1 – 16, were referred to Welcare due to complex housing and financial challenges and Amy’s difficulty establishing boundaries and routines at home. The family of 8 lived in a small 3-bedroom flat which was overcrowded and cluttered. The housing situation had a detrimental effect on the whole family’s well-being, and the children found the long dark evenings at home difficult with a lack of space and nowhere quiet to study and complete homework.
The family also struggled financially due to the Benefit Cap and the rejection of their claim for Housing and Council Tax Benefits and other benefits. Amy had to pay all the monthly bills, with a limited and insufficient income, not to mention food and clothing for 7 children.
Amy said, ‘Things are very hard now. There is not enough money for everything. I worry a lot about how I am going to feed my family.’ Life for Amy and her children was increasingly fraught, and their financial situation became more precarious leading to arrears and just as Welcare started work with the family, a notice of eviction was received.
The Welcare Family Support Worker began 1:1 work to help Amy manage her family situation and this included liaising with the local authority Housing Department, referring to the food bank as well as providing supermarket vouchers (supplied by Welcare), securing funding from the local authority for school uniform, helping Amy to create a detailed budget plan, and working in partnership with the other professionals involved with the family.
With Christmas approaching, Welcare staff worked to help the family enjoy a special Christmas and purchased food for the festive period, including a full Christmas dinner for the whole family. When the Family Support Worker shared the good news with them, Amy’s older daughter became very emotional and said, ‘We can have a Christmas now! Mum told us a few days ago that we would not be having one due to the cost. Thank you so much!’, and Amy said, ‘It is such a relief, and we are so very grateful. We are amazed at the level of help Welcare could provide and it means we will be able to enjoy Christmas. Thank you!’
Our mission is to provide practical and emotional family support services throughout the year but during the festive period, the divide between families who have sufficient for their needs and those who do not becomes increasingly evident. This year with soaring inflation and utility costs there is even greater need and that’s why we are asking for your support with our Families in Crisis Appeal. Our staff use these funds to provide practical support and supermarket vouchers for families in need. With your help we can support more families like Amy’s. Thank you!
*Names have been changed and we have used a stock image
