Supporting Daisy to overcome addiction and homelessness

Daisy is a young, Geelong-based mother of three children who was experiencing some challenges in her day-to-day life. After a tumultuous and violent relationship with her ex-partner, they decided to separate, and the care of her older children was passed largely to their father who resides elsewhere. This exacerbated Daisy’s feeling of helplessness and despair. She missed them dreadfully. Her baby Zac was demanding, and his needs were often overwhelming for Daisy.

In the times when Daisy was overwhelmed, she had turned to alcohol and other drugs to assist. Her financial resources were used to purchase substances, often leaving her without funds to purchase things for her son.  Daisy’s housing was heavily impacted by housing affordability, and she found herself homeless, exacerbating the other issues in her life.

Child Protection quickly became involved in Daisy’s life and a referral was made to the Barwon Orange Door. Concerns had been raised in relation to Daisy’s parenting capacity and her ability to meet the needs of her son due to her homelessness and drug use.  The Orange Door Practitioner met with Daisy and discussed her individual needs and the needs of her son.

Daisy felt stuck and emotionally broken. Her mental health was spiraling, and she felt it was impacting her ability to make positive changes in her life. She was disconnected from her son and didn’t know how to get her life back on track.

The Orange Door Practitioner supported Daisy with a referral to a mental health provider (Head to Health) to seek ongoing Mental Health support. Daisy felt comforted knowing she was making positive steps towards better mental health. They also organised for her to attend Barwon Child, Youth & Family’s Alcohol and Other Drugs program as Daisy was determined to manage her drug use.

Additionally, the practitioner organised some material aid assistance for her and Zac. She was enrolled in a supported playgroup and completed a referral to Integrated Family Services. The goals of Integrated Family Services centered on retaining Daisy’s engagement with the support structures that had been put in place and creating a routine that involved some self-care and self-reflection. They assisted with finding childcare for Zac in the hope she could re-establish her employment into the future.

Daisy is now in a much better position and above all else, is happy. She wants to develop strategies to enhance her relationship with her older children moving forward and is actively finding ways to create a deeper bond with Zac. Daisy has a positive relationship with her Enhanced Maternal & Child Health Nurse who has been hugely supportive through her journey back to health.

Daisy sent a text message to the Orange Door Practitioner after their session saying, “After our meeting I made a doctor’s appointment and booked in for a relaxation massage which I had been given a gift voucher for. Our productive catch up with you this morning has prompted me to be proactive and utilise what I do have readily available to me, so thank you.”