Prior to being referred to the Forever Homes Project, Nadine and her three sons spent 18 months moving between temporary, emergency, and sheltered accommodation after fleeing domestic abuse. The family often lived together in a single room, which was overcrowded. This negatively affected the family’s wellbeing and the children’s education.
Since moving into their new forever home, the family are now thriving. Having a safe and secure home has enabled Nadine and her children to begin rebuilding their lives. They now feel happier, more settled, and are hopeful about the future.
With encouragement, Nadine attended her GP to review her mental health as she
had been struggling due to the uncertainty of her housing situation. Nadine had been relying on a friends to manage her finances, even using their bank accounts to receive benefits. With support, she successfully opened her own account and engaged in budgeting support, which allowed her to manage her income and household bills independently.
Nadine and her family had very few possessions upon leaving temporary accommodation. The Forever Homes accommodation was fully furnished with everything the family needed, this eliminated the immediate financial pressure of purchasing essential household items and allowed them to focus on rebuilding their lives from day one.
The stability of secure accommodation, combined with tailored support, has had a positive impact on the whole family. Nadine has gained confidence, improved her financial independence, and seen a significant improvement in her mental wellbeing. Professionals involved with the family, including a social worker and school staff, have reported improvements in the children’s attendance, academic progress, emotional wellbeing and their happiness.
The family now has the stability and security needed to move forward positively.
Nadine is currently exploring college courses and hopes to enrol in September as
a pathway to employment.
Reflecting on her family’s journey, Nadine said; “The 700 Club has helped to give us our lives back.”
