Case Study 1
BR came to us pregnant, as a ‘child in need’, with a schizophrenic mother. She was very considerate, but found it hard to adapt and interact with other young people.
Her behaviour was also sometimes odd, for example, when she stored raw chicken in the cupboard – which other residents struggled to understand.
Working closely with social services and other agencies, we ensured that BR learned about basic hygiene and gained the living and personal development skills she needed. After two years with us, she moved on to live independently, with a happy, healthy boy.
Case Study 2
MTP, A 19-year-old single mother living at our Barrington Road scheme with her three-year-old son, struggled emotionally when his place at nursery was put in jeopardy.
The child’s behaviour had become so challenging that the nursery was ready to exclude him. This also put her college course at risk.
Our key worker took stock of the situation and, after taking professional advice, accompanied MTP to an appointment with the community paediatric doctor at the Mary Sheridan Centre. The child was diagnosed with severe autism.
With a full diagnosis to take to the nursery, his place remained open and our key worker continued to assist MTP in finding specialist help from other agencies for her son.
Overall, this ensured that her college course and career prospects stayed on track, preparing her for future independent living.