the High Sheriff Chris Henson presents Catzero's Sarah Coulson with a cheque towards the Hull Full families programme

Sara Has provided us with a case study from the previous programme. Case Study Hull Full Families The family came to the Hull Full Families programme in May 2023 as a self-referral. This is a young couple with two very young children. In this narrative the family will be known as mum, dad, son (IH) and daughter (IR). Why was the family referred? Dad contacted the Hull CatZero office to ask for help. He had previously had some experience of being a participant on one of our Personal Development programmes earlier in 2023 and hoped he might be able to access additional support for himself, his partner and their young family. Dad has been in the care system all his life and he wants his own children to have a better start in life than he did. The family were invited into the CatZero office. Dad was 25, mum was 24, IH was 2 years and 4 months old and IR was 3 weeks and 5 days old. We held an Initial meeting between staff and all the family where the full process of HFF (Hull Full Families) was explained to them, following on from this a Family Network Meeting was held where three questions were asked:  What is great about your lives?  What worries you about your lives?  What would you like to change?  The key things to emerge from these meetings were:  They do have a roof over their heads.  Have some family members close by.  IH is doing well, polite and well behaved at home and out and about.  IR is healthy.  Mum and dad had grave concerns about the safety of the house they live in and the high rates of crime in their immediate locality.  How do they keep the children safe in a home with a rat infestation? The rats are inside the bath, inside the walls and under the floorboards.  Dad is struggling to find work because he doesn’t have any ID.  Dad does not have a bank account of his own.  Dad has been sanctioned for not attending appointments with his work coach. A further meeting was held, where the family scaled the things they wanted to change. They then identified the steps they needed to implement in order to make small, incremental improvements to their lives. Together we created an action plan. Descriptions on the different types of support taken with this family listed below. Within the Home The family rent their home through Humbercare (a social housing company). CatZero contacted Humbercare and Environmental Health and arrangements were made for a thorough inspection of the property and bait traps have been laid where the rats were emerging from. Mum and dad were advised that they must ensure that all the bagged-up rubbish in the backyard had to be removed immediately. All food in the home must be stored safely and all surfaces kept very clean and tidy, no crumbs anywhere. 2 The children’s toys must not be left out, the rats are running throughout the house over the furniture. They have a broken washing machine. This is a priority. It cannot be fixed, it will have to be replaced. Approaches made to a local charity which can supply white goods to families in need. Mum and dad managed to find a washing machine themselves through a family member. Both children are always clean and tidy and dressed immaculately and are a credit to their mum and dad. Financially, the family sometimes struggle to make ends meet. The rent and council tax are always paid but sometimes mum and dad go without so the children are always fed. Mum did not know about the Healthy Start vouchers so helped mum put these in place for both children. Also, mum has not claimed Child Benefit for IR, she sometimes has no access to the internet to be able to complete the online form. Paper form taken over to mum for her complete and get the ball rolling. By the couple demonstrating ‘self-help’, their situation would be considered as taking positive action to do their best to keep the home safe for themselves and their children. Humbercare may feel more able to help them secure a different property. Finding a new home Mum and dad are bidding for Hull City Council properties but have been limiting their search to properties in the North Hull and Orchard Park areas only. Advised to widen their search to all areas of Hull which they have now done. They are still often in 80 th place in bidding on a particular property but they are being encouraged not to give up and should be bidding at least once a week on a Thursday morning when new properties come online. Encouraged to register with other social housing providers such as Target Housing and Giroscope. Mum and dad have been put in touch with their local councillor who it is hoped will offer their advice and support with the housing situation. Finding Employment Supported dad to open a bank account for himself. After some research, Nationwide Building Society came up as the most likely bank to accept dad’s application. Dad successfully opened a basic bank account which was a big achievement for him and will help him greatly when he applying for jobs. Dad also needs a birth certificate. He does have a certified birth certificate signed by the registrar. Unfortunately, this is not being accepted by many employers. They are insisting on an ‘original’ birth certificate which dad’s social worker has lost. Dad did live with foster carers for a while and he going to get in touch with them if he can in case they can help. Dad would like to get his Fork Lift Licence as he already has some warehousing experience. Lack of the original birth certificate is a huge barrier, as the local training provider (who could have offered the training free of charge, has rejected his application.) CatZero contacted the Hull Leaving Care Team to try and track down the social worker (who may know the whereabouts of dad’s birth certificate) but this is proving difficult. Another barrier to find employment is that dad also needs photo ID. He is trying to save up for a provisional driving licence at the moment. We have established that a Citizen Card will not suffice. Advised to always attend his appointments with his work coach, even if he has to walk all the way into town. 3 Make sure the work coach knows that he is being supported by CatZero who are doing intensive job search with dad. CatZero is keeping dad informed of any new employment opportunities in his travel to work area. We have also canvassed employers directly to ask whether dad could come in to see them with his CV and Cover Letter. CatZero funded a push bike for dad, so he could start his job. Nursery IH could start at a local nursery but mum and dad have been a little resistant, stating ‘why place him in a local nursery, when we might get moved and it would be disruptive for him?’ With some encouragement, mum and dad have warmed to the idea as IH could go for 16 hours per week for free and he is definitely ready for it. Mum and dad have two pushchairs one for each of the children. If IH could be encouraged to walk a little and start on reins ideally, they could be a lot more mobile. Staff encouraged mum to invest in some reins and see how IH gets on with them. Now dad’s found employment, mum could still go out with both children. This would be much more manageable for her. IR – Mum was worried that baby was working herself up to the top of the cot during the night and she was worried that this was not safe. Health visitor contacted and also sent mum the NHS info and video ‘safe sleeping’. The impact of the support for this specific HFF and the differences it has made:  Though the family are still in the current property, the rubbish has been removed from the backyard and the house is much cleaner and tidier. The bait traps are replaced every two weeks.  Mum and dad still bidding on properties, they have reached 15 th in the queue for one particular property and continue to bid weekly.  They have registered with other social housing providers.  Dad got a job, he is working full time as a ‘pod puller’ for a firm that makes modular bathrooms.  He is looking for a better paid job or a second job now and has been for a few interviews recently, he is looking for factory work close by. They are considering looking into private rented in the future.  Child Benefit now in place for IR.  Healthy Start vouchers being redeemed for both children.  IR is being weaned.  IR is sleeping soundly and no worries about her ‘moving up to the top of the cot’.  IR is laying on her tummy, lifting her head up and turning over.  IH walks nicely on his reins and now not needing them as much, he walks next to the pushchair is behaves well.  IH loved nursery and has now just started at a pre-school nursery much closer to home  Mum is more relaxed and less anxious  The children are thriving.