Case Studies

“My name is Sophie and I'll be starting year eight after Christmas. My younger brother, Ben, and I have been living with Nan for nearly a year now, although we sometimes stayed with her when Mum went out as we never knew when she'd be back. She always meant to come back on time but sometimes her boyfriend wouldn't let her. I think he was jealous of me and Ben because Mum loved us a lot. Mum said our real Dad works up the top of Australia in the mines but we can't remember him. If he knew Mum had died I'm sure he'd come and see us but we don't know where he is.

We were at Nan's when the police came and I knew it was bad news because the police never came to my Nan's house. They asked if they could speak to her alone and when they left she was crying and told us Mum had died from drugs. I didn't believe it until Nan took me to the hospital to say goodbye to Mum. I didn't cry, I didn't know what to think or feel. I still have bad dreams about that day.

I was really scared Nan wouldn't keep us and I kept telling Ben to stop behaving weirdly or she'd never want us. Nan heard me telling him off and told us that we would never be split up and we would always stay together as a family. That's when Mirabel came in! They visited us and explained how they could help. Nan goes to their support groups and is now friends with lots of other grandparents who are looking after their grandkids and we're going to stay at Mirabel House next school holidays with a family Nan met in the group.

Mirabel does stacks of cool stuff for kids and Ben is now seeing a Mirabel counsellor so he can sort things out in his head. I'm going on a Mirabel camp soon and I'm really excited to go away with other kids who understand what it's like. I'd like to be a Mirabel Youth Ambassador so I can help other kids like me. I can't imagine life without Mirabel now!”

To read more stories from the Mirabel children please visit www.mirabelfoundation.org.au

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