This case study demonstrates the impact of the direct work done with one family by a community-based POPS Family Support Worker.
Background: Aged 17 years Paul* was issued a Police Final Warning for causing criminal damage to his mother's house. His mother Marianne* was reluctant to press charges, not wanting to criminalise her own son, but felt she had no other option. Paul is the eldest of three children (with younger brothers aged 9 and 10 years) who live at home with their mum Marianne. Marianne explained that her son's behaviour had deteriorated recently because the children's father was due to be released from prison following a 7 year sentence for fire arms offences. Fear and uncertainty were impacting on all the family because the father had been abusive and his imprisonment was seen as an opportunity to break free. She began to cry when she told the POPS Family Support Worker that the relationship had driven her to a nervous breakdown and that her two youngest sons were seeing a psychologist at Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) because the stress and strain of the situation had triggered nightmares and hallucinations. Marianne felt certain her eldest son's sense of responsibility to safeguard the family was manifest in his recent outbursts of anger. She desperately wanted to move her family away from the home she had shared with their father to the opposite side of the city where they would have family and friends close by, as well as the children's schools.
Issues Raised: Alleged arrears preventing access to re-housing list. Financial difficulties due to travelling costs incurred taking younger children to school. The father had expressed that he wished to see the children upon his release. Marianne was genuinely concerned and frightened for her family's safety.
Support Offered: Emotional support whilst developing an agreed Action Plan to break down areas of concern into manageable tasks. Referral to Women's Aid. Practical assistance with letters/emails to Housing regarding alleged rent arrears. Contact and advocacy with relevant professionals to share appropriate information. Support worker accompanying familyto all meetings initially. Access funds for bus fares.
Outcomes: Youth Offending Services (YOS) had no serious concerns regarding Paul's offending behaviour, other than that which his situation presented and referred the case to the POPS Family Support Worker who implemented the Action Plan achieving the following: Women's Aid fitted the house with panic alarms whilst the family waited to be re-housed and the children's school offered to fund Marianne's weekly bus pass. The rent arrears, resulting from a clerical error, were cleared. Marianne attended all multi-agency meetings, accompanied by the POPS Family Support Worker, empowering Marianne and improving her self-confidence. A new home on the other side of the city. Agreement regarding contact arrangement. Marianne's sons agreed they were not ready to visit their father in the community for which a court order was granted. All are doing extremely well, neither of the youngest need to attend CAMHS any longer and both are on the 'Talented and Gifted List' at school. The family have been involved in many of POPS projects including research into the impact of parental incarceration on children and contributors to family forums on Ending Gang and Youth Violence. They remain regular and valued members of POPS family forums contributing to the development of POPS services. Marianne credits the support she received from POPS as"helping me take control of the situation, for me it was, and still is, peer support I found empowering". Marianne is now on a training course and looking forward to her return to work. She now volunteers for POPS supporting new members to the family forum.
* Names have been changed to protect identities
