A parent initially attended the counselling service termly coffee morning held at school. It was at the coffee morning that the parent approached the CSM and requested to make an appointment to meet privately. At the time, the parent had recently moved from the Middle East to the UK with her young daughter. The parent had little to no support in the U.K and they were placed in temporary accommodation which was not ideal for a young child and single mother. The parent felt she had nowhere to turn to and was reaching out for emotional and practical support. The CSM was able to work with the parent on a long-term basis, supporting her emotionally and when needed advocating on her behalf. This parent had experienced levels of trauma throughout her life which were triggered by her current circumstances and vulnerability. Overtime, the parent began to develop more significant mental health needs and although the parent was under a mental health service team, they would not offer her therapeutic support. The CSM worked hard to find her the right type of therapeutic support and along the journey many doors were closed. At the end of the academic year the CSM was able to find a local charity who accepted her referral and were able to offer the parent weekly long-term, low-cost therapy. The parent’s child had also been on a waiting list to be seen for 1:1 therapy through the service which she will now be receiving in September of the next academic year.
