What was the situation?
Haile’s family was referred to School-Home Support by her Year 1 teacher, Jo, who was concerned that she wasn’t sleeping well enough at night. She was unhappy and anxious and struggled to concentrate at school and her attendance had dipped to 93%. She had no energy to play with her friends and was becoming withdrawn.
How did School-Home Support help?
School-Home Support Practitioner Rina worked with Jo to get quickly up to speed.
Rina’s first meeting with Haile’s dad was hard and he was reluctant to share at first. His family’s living conditions were dire.
On her first home visit, Rina found Mum, Dad and three young children crammed into a tiny one room studio. Mum slept with her three children in the double bed and dad slept on the floor on the mat. There was water dripping from the bathroom ceiling and the tiny kitchen was covered with mould. The suitcases, a wardrobe and pram on the balcony made it inaccessible and blocked the natural light. Dad had tried to sort things out, but he struggled to navigate the system. He had experienced a serious set back when incorrect information was recorded which resulted in the family being placed back at the bottom of the house bidding list.
Haile told Rina that she felt upset about their house. She’d been to friends’ flats which were much bigger and better than hers. She hated the fact that they didn’t have a table and chairs for meals and that they ate on the floor. There was a tiny toddler desk for homework, but she was too big for it now.
Rina’s connections with local housing charity Shelter helped her tap into crucial advice about the laws around overcrowding and homelessness. With her support Dad could challenge unfair, incorrect decisions which helped him secure a bigger flat for his family. Rina made discrete applications for grants for a wardrobe and a desk and new school uniform for Haile.
Haile feels happier to go to school again, her attendance increasing to nearly 96%. But most importantly she feels much better about herself and her life. The move has had a positive impact on her mental health as well as her attainment. She is now one of the top students in the class and her teachers have noticed a real difference in the child they first met in reception to the Year 1 pupil she has become.