Finding new ways to manage – Desleigh’s story

Finding new ways to manage – Desleigh’s story

"If welfare saw your house, they would take your children. You should go to Family Wellbeing Services." It was those words from a friend, who also had Family Wellbeing Services support, that set Desleigh on a path of turning things around for her family.

At 33, mother of 7 Desleigh couldn't feed her children properly due to a gambling addiction. Her children were not going to school.

Since attending Family Wellbeing Services, Desleigh is managing their behaviour – including creating timetables for them to go to school – and has created a budget so she can repay her gambling debts and make sure her kids have enough to eat.

The Family Wellbeing Services worker is someone Desleigh can talk to about her problems. The worker helps her to see new ways to work through the problems she has.

Desleigh's now working to get a blue card so she can apply for jobs. Having a job would give Desleigh more money and something for herself.