We’d like you to meet Chloe

Chloe is three years old. She lives with her mum and dad in a one-bed flat. There is no space outside to play. Chloe hasn’t had a chance to meet other children or to play outside. Chloe’s lived in this flat for 2 years now, having moved around hostels and temporary accommodation.

Her parents are young and both grew up with serious family problems. Her dad spent a lot of time in the care system and both parents were sexually abused as children. They turned to drugs to dampen the chaos and hurt inflicted on them in their young lives. Now they are both stable on a methadone programme.

The family is isolated and doesn’t have the helping hands of parents and extended family to help out with Chloe. They are living in appalling conditions of poverty and Chloe’s health has suffered. She is underweight, had head lice and skin rashes like ringworm. Chloe’s speech and language is delayed.

Both mum and dad love Chloe and have very close bonds with her.  They are very open to looking for support so they came to Barnardos.

Chloe’s safety and well-being needs to be looked after, and Barnardos, working with other agencies and social workers, have put in place a plan to make sure this happens.

Chloe comes to Barnardos every day and staff are able to monitor her safety and well-being, in a safe and child friendly environment. She attends a Barnardos Pre- School service where her needs are assessed and plans are made to provide her with the help she needs to start her education, and to ensure that she can make the transition into primary school. She also gets to play with other children. She gets a nutritious dinner and is beginning to put on weight.

Barnardos has helped Chloe’s referral to the speech and language therapist and will help her parents meet the appointments. The pre-school programme will also work closely with her parents to support them with toilet training, speech and language developing and how to manage difficult behaviours. 

These steps will ensure that her transition to primary school is effectively managed and that she is in a position to start school fully equipped to deal with the challenges it will present and not fall behind.

Her parents are given formal one to one counselling and they can also join a parenting programme. They also get help around budgeting, family routines and parenting in the home

With Barnardos help Chloe’s young life is looking a little brighter and, with the love and support of her parents, we will be able to put right the things that have caused her to fall behind so early in life.

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