A Mother’s Story
A mother of three children aged three, four and five and her husband had separated and he took
care of the children. The parents attended the Family Relationship Centre (FRC) for mediation and
were referred to the PHaMs to support the mother with her struggles with her mental health, drug
and alcohol abuse. The family was accessing the Family Law System at that time.
The mother had a very long history of ‘being made to’ engage with services and had previously
only engaged with services when it was absolutely necessary. Through the holistic and integrated
response from Interrelate staff, the caseworker noted that the mother’s experience of support and
respect had a significant impact on her.
The PHaMs Program provided holistic support that enabled the family to access the Parenting Orders
Program, Children’s Contact Services, counselling and parenting group support. The PHaMs staff
worked with the mother on her issues around housing and emotional health, which created more
stability for her and therefore for the children. In early 2015, the mother was awarded unsupervised
contact with her children twice a week.
The mother told her caseworker that she felt respected and believed by the Family Relationship
Centre, Children’s Contact Services and the Parenting Orders Program, which was a very new
experience for her. The mother stated that because she was respected and believed, she felt she
had permission to ask questions from the lawyers and professionals working with her. The PHaMs
caseworker noted the steady increase in the mother’s confidence and assertiveness in dealing with
the legal system and other professionals. The mother spoke warmly about the counselling and group
work support she accessed through Interrelate. The mother stated that she now knows it’s normal to
feel fear and anger and that she’s ok and can change.
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