Freya and her daughter were living in shared accommodation when they started working with Red Hen. It was noisy, they didn’t have their own space, and Freya’s daughter wasn’t getting enough sleep before school.
When school found out what was happening, they put Freya in touch with us. She was supported by Maria, one of our family workers, and we were able to help them find somewhere new to live.
Freya said: “Before, she couldn’t sleep because of the noise, she was always tired at school. Now we have got our own place and she has her own room. She is doing really well. Maria helped us a lot.”
As well as support with housing and benefits, Maria helped Freya create clear house rules for her daughter to follow. Freya learned how to be assertive but fair and respectful, while setting boundaries. Maria encouraged the family to discuss their feelings and come up with solutions together.
We also provided an interpreter so that Freya’s mum could access online Raising Children sessions with her so they had a consistent approach to parenting.
Freya said: “When my daughter was angry, Maria gave me ideas for how to handle that. I have more confidence. I know what rules to use, what to do and what not to do.
“My daughter used to not eat many kinds of foods. She didn’t want to eat vegetables. Maria gave me ideas like how to hide the food and they worked really well. We made a plan and put it on the wall of her room, a circle with all the kinds of food she needs to eat. Now she is really keen to try new foods. She eats everything on the plate.
“I am always speaking to Maria about things I am worried about. She comes up with solutions to solve our problems. I am really happy.”
We work with schools in north Cambridge to help children who are struggling with their education and their families. If you would like to talk to us, in confidence, about your situation and whether we can help email getsupport@redhenproject.org or call 07966 839 635 to speak to the team.
- Names have been changed to protect confidentiality
