Amelia was just 16 when she became a mother and moved into our young parent’s service. She was supported with benefits, budgeting, education – vital tools in a cost-of-living crisis. A year later, she has moved into her own home and hopes to one day become a health visitor.
Taken into care following a Section 20
Before being referred to Centrepoint, Amelia* lived at home with her mum and her mum’s partner. However, it was an unhealthy environment where she was subjected to controlling behaviour and frequently witnessed alcohol and domestic abuse.
Amelia shared her situation with professionals resulting in a Section 20 (a care order from the local authority) and Amelia was taken into care just after she turned 16. She lived in a foster placement for a short time, but that broke down after she fell pregnant. A referral to Centrepoint’s young parent’s service was made and she moved into the service with her baby daughter.
Settling in at Centrepoint
Having a baby at 16 is immensely challenging, especially when it also means managing finances independently for the first time.
“It was scary to move so soon after giving birth," Amelia remembers. "It was my first time living alone and I was worried about money, but I knew I wanted to live independently."
“My main struggle overall has been money," Amelia continues. "I had to wait a full month after I moved in to get my Universal Credit. It was winter when I first moved in so I was using a lot of gas and electric and the cost of shopping was going up. I only had £60 a week to pay for food, nappies, baby milk, gas and electric. I stayed in a lot because I had a lot of anxiety, which meant I spent more on heating and electric.”
“However, once I was settled, things got easier. If there was anything I didn’t understand about my benefits, I could go to the office and the staff would help me. If I needed food, like beans or bread for example, I could go and ask them for help. I had that safety net when money was really tight.”
Receiving vital support and gaining qualifications
After Amelia had her daughter, she felt she had no choice but to drop out of school and she didn't manage to complete her GCSEs. However, her key worker Emma made a referral to Centrepoint Works and Amelia managed to complete her Maths and English qualifications. She is now looking into doing a health and social care qualification so that she can become a health visitor in the future.
Although Amelia had her own self-contained flat at the service, the staff were always on hand in the office and there were communal spaces for the children to play and interact. This meant that she could develop independent living skills whilst also having support when she really needed it. Moreover, it meant that she could connect with other young parents her age.
Baby yoga sessions
One thing Amelia and her daughter particularly enjoyed whilst living at the service was the weekly baby yoga sessions.
“They had a play room where they would run classes like baby yoga - other young people and their babies would come along and you could make friends,” Amelia says. “They also used to do communal breakfasts, barbeques and run sessions about baby development, so it was really helpful and a good way to meet other parents in the service.”
Amelia and her daughter enjoyed the sessions and Amelia learnt some helpful techniques to help with constipation and colic.
“I was often in hospital with my daughter for constipation so the yoga was really useful. We learnt how to do tummy massages and leg stretches which helped a lot with that. They also had these special blankets which we could swing the babies in and we learnt positions to help soothe them if they were crying and distressed. As the babies got older, they would introduce other equipment and musical instruments and we would sing songs to go with the yoga. The babies particularly loved it when we blew bubbles so they could pop them. We all really enjoyed it. It was nice to do something different for the kids,” she reflects.
Building independence
Amelia is now settled in her own council home. Her key worker was able to assist her with the initial paperwork for the bidding process as well as helping her to understand everything she needed to do and settle in.
“I just loved my key worker Emma. I knew I could come to her with anything and she’d be able to help me. She still comes and visits now I’ve moved out and it’s been really helpful to have that support when you first move into your own home. I don’t really have family to help me and it’s really helped me move on successfully.”
Cost of living crisis
The cost-of-living crisis is making things more difficult for Amelia, but it was the budgeting skills that Amelia developed whilst living at the young parent’s service which has helped her navigate increasing costs and helped her manage her money.
“When I was at the service Emma would come shopping with me when I’d get my benefit payment and help me to budget effectively.”
“Now I’m living on my own, I write down exactly what I have coming in and what I can spend on everything each week and that means I avoid getting into difficulty.”
Despite budgeting so carefully and trying her best to be fully independent, in a cost-of-living crisis sometimes there just isn’t the money to cover the basics. There have been times when Amelia has had to call her key worker and she has been able to provide her with supermarket vouchers.
Rebecca, the service manager says,
“In the current cost of living crisis, we are having to help our residents out more and more with basics like nappies and formula and providing supermarket vouchers. Their gas alone is costing some of them between £3-£6 per day which is unsustainable. It is a worrying situation.”
An exciting future
Despite all the difficulties facing young people, Amelia is managing really well and Emma is so proud of the progress she has made.
“During Amelia’s time at the service, she managed her tenancy extremely well. Her home was always warm, clean and inviting, and there were no issues with budgeting her money or making sure her and her daughter had the things they needed. She is a wonderful mother and I wish her all the very best for the future.”
*names have been changed
