Shanice’s lifestyle was chaotic when she first came to Valley House. Today, she lives in one of our family homes with her baby daughter and is looking forward to a happier, healthier future.
Shanice, 19, was referred to Valley House when her daughter, Joelle, was five months old. Joelle was being cared for by Shanice’s mum at the time. Shanice moved into a shared flat at Valley House and was allocated a support worker.
A traumatic childhood had left its mark on Shanice. She witnessed domestic violence and abuse as a child and began to self-harm at a young age. Since becoming a mother herself, Shanice had stopped self-harming but she was using drugs and alcohol. She was in an on-off relationship with Joelle’s father who was violent and abusive. She had also experienced domestic violence in previous relationships.
Turning her life around
When she first arrived at Valley House, Shanice was distraught that her baby daughter was not living with her. She had little support from her immediate family – Shanice’s mother was very controlling and was trying to exploit Shanice’s vulnerabilities to try and get custody of her granddaughter.
It was clear that with the right support, Shanice could sort out her chaotic lifestyle, turn her life around, and become a good parent. We worked with Shanice on her budgeting skills and helped her to access the correct benefits and pay necessary bills. With our support, she enrolled on a healthy eating course and applied to college to do beauty therapy.
A family reunited
Shanice’s priority was to get her daughter back. We put her in touch with legal advisors and she was granted custody of Joelle. The two are now living in a family home at Valley House where they have access to 24-hour support, seven days a week. Shanice is registered on Home Finder with the long-term goal of moving into her own home with Joelle.
Today, Shanice is having counselling to address her drug and alcohol abuse. She is learning about parenting skills and is doing everything she can to give Joelle a safe and happy childhood.
Note: Valley House shares real stories from the people we work with. If necessary, we use stock photographs and change some details to protect the identity of individuals.
For more Survivors Stories See: https://valleyhouse.org.uk/case-studies/
