Kayla was referred to New Chance with a community resolution for the neglect of a child. Following the completion of our initial assessment – the WRNA (Women’s Risk and Needs Assessment) and one-to-one conversations – it became apparent she had underlying issues that had led to the offence.
She had difficulties with alcohol and a result of past traumas, and she suffered from low moods, low self-esteem, and depressive episodes. We have since completed an alcohol workbook together and she is receiving support from CGL. We are also completing the REDD (Regulating Emotions and Dealing with Distress) course on a one to one basis. Through this she is developing new coping strategies as an alternative to using alcohol, as well as learning skills to help regulate her emotions in challenging situations. She has also been encouraged to seek support from her GP for depression as she felt her medication was not working for her.
There are many other professionals involved in her case, but over time we have developed a strong working relationship, so when she is feeling down or on the brink of abusing alcohol again, she feels comfortable enough to reach out to me for emotional support before it reaches this stage and we have put coping mechanisms in place.
As with most of the women we support, her journey hasn’t been linear but the support from Anawim has been a constant.
She has had moments of relapse, and she is currently fighting for contact with her child after they have been removed. Over the year that I’ve worked with her she’s had four social workers, countless family support workers and many other professionals that come in and out of her life. As her Caseworker at Anawim, I am able to support her through contact with other agencies and encourage her to continue engaging with the support offered – even when this feels challenging and when other professionals may come and go.
Support is offered through a holistic model, that puts the woman at the heart. We work with the woman to involve her in decisions about her support, encouraging her to take ownership and increase commitment. Support can be tailored session to session, so if she needs to work through her feelings and emotions following a lapse, we can do this and pick up other support in the following session. Similarly, there have been times when we have gone for a walk because she’s been finding it hard to leave the house whilst in a depressive episode.
This has had a positive impact on her and she has had the opportunity to turn things around. At the beginning of us working together, Kayla didn’t believe she had an issue with alcohol, and subsequently couldn’t see how her drinking had impacted her child. She is now able to acknowledge her problematic drinking, and recognises that it stems from unresolved childhood and adult traumas, and is now actively working with professionals to address these.
She also acknowledges that, although she had good intentions when caring for her child, she was unable to care for them adequately whilst under the influence. This recognition is the vital step in her not reoffending and continuing to move forward.
Anawim Caseworker