Deb eases Mum’s financial worries

Karen first approached us as she was struggling financially as a single Mum with six children, with no financial support from the children’s father and having a very limited support network. Karen disclosed to Deb, our Family Support worker allocated to support and work with her, that she could not see the light at the end of the tunnel and having had her children so close to one another, she felt distant and isolated from the world around her, being in the house so much she became almost afraid of the outside world, often feeling depressed due to the loneliness she faced.

Karen’s eldest daughter has her own children, and Karen supports her with daily childcare so that her daughter can continue to work. Her eldest son has mild learning difficulties and still resides with Karen: as he is unable to work, he claims benefits from Karen’s address, adversely impacting the family’s benefits, meaning she is paying full rent from the low income that she receives. This had contributed significantly to Karen’s financial crisis, adding to her already poor mental health.

When Deb visited Karen in her home, she quickly established a relationship of trust, enabling her to see that Karen could not afford the essentials, such as food, school uniform and household items. Karen said that she felt less of a parent and her self-confidence continued to deteriorate due to her circumstances, unable to see a way forward, to get relief from constant worrying.

Her very low funds and no means of affording the much-needed uniforms her younger children needed to ensure that they could attend their school, without ridicule from their classmates. Alice charity purchased most of the school uniforms that were needed in August 2021 Mum was elated and even became teary, thanking our team, and stated that without our support, she had no idea how she would have coped with the pressure that having to purchase new uniforms puts on every parent, at least once a year.

Following the support with the uniforms, Karen really engaged with Deb and the monthly  support home visits,  and benefited from support with other items including a wardrobe, a single bed, a dining table and chairs, a washing machine, three single mattresses, two sets of bunkbeds, food parcels and Christmas gifts, improving her family’s living standards, relieving her financial worries so reducing her stress and anxiety.

We are delighted that Karen has now been signed off from our services and is actively seeking work again, volunteering at a local food bank. Her mental health has improved massively as the weight of financial pressures has been lifted, with Deb providing budgeting advise, securing a full benefits review and providing essentials including school uniform, furniture and food, knowing that she can reach out to Alice charity if ever she needs more support, or just a friendly chat. Karen says, “I now look to her future with delight, instead of dread.”

Sadly Karen and her lovely family needing our support at the moment, so if you would like to help us to continue supporting local families, please donate at www.alicecharity.org/donatenow or call us on 01782 627017 to see how you can help us. We simply can’t do what we do without the support of people like you, so thank you xxx