Marlene

Marlene* is a single parent with four children, two are under four. Her eldest child has Sickle Cell and the youngest child has cancer. Marlene suffers from depression and anxiety. She has financial worries, no extended family support and feels extremely isolated.

She lives in a cramped two-bed flat on the 3rd floor, with no lift access. Marlene finds it difficult juggling the children’s hospital appointments with school and two of the children are showing behavioural issues. Marlene is exhausted and feels guilty about not spending quality time with her children.

Sally*, the family’s Home-Start volunteer visits weekly. With Sally’s support, Marlene and the children can leave the house to attend medical appointments and go to the local Children’s Centre to meet other families and play. Together, Sally and Marlene explore parenting skills to manage the children’s behaviour more effectively, have created a new budget and prioritised bill payments. Marlene is now confidently controlling her finances.

* names changed to protect anonymity