Lynne’s1 three young granddaughters had been living in an unstable environment. They faced the possibility of being separated and becoming involved with the Child Protection system—unless Lynne took on the responsibility of their full-time care.
Lynne recalls:
“I took the kids because I wanted to give them love and safety for the first time. They'd seen horrible things and I didn't want that to happen anymore.”
Lynne went to great lengths to give her grandchildren a secure upbringing. But it wasn’t that simple.
Lynne says:
“We had to relocate and start from scratch. But there was not enough room for all of us in the house.”
We're receiving more and more applications for families, and in particular grandparents like Lynne, living in overcrowded homes.
The soaring cost of living keeps adding pressure to households and affordable housing is becoming further out of reach for families in need. The need for our studios only continues to climb.
Right now, Kids Under Cover still has families in our applications— living in crisis and desperately waiting for help.
Because of our kind supporters, Lynne’s family received a one-bedroom Kids Under Cover studio. The extra space allowed the children’s grandfather, Colin, to move in to help Lynne look after the girls.
Throughout the years, the studio continued to be a flexible solution for the family. Each one of the girls had their turn to move in and have their own quiet space. Kids Under Cover also supported them all with educational scholarships.
Lynne says:
“My grandchildren were able to feel the same as every other child who has come from a ‘normal’ family. It wasn't just about getting a studio built in the backyard. It was the whole journey.”
Sadly, forty percent of young people seeking support for homelessness^ remain homeless.
Kids Under Cover could be doing a lot more to intervene early to prevent youth homelessness, if we had the funding.
Please donate to help ease the strain by building studios for families in need.
1 Lynne’s name and image, including those of her grandchildren, have been changed to protect the privacy of the vulnerable young people in her care.
^ Source: Mission Australia ‘Staying Home’ Youth Homelessness Report 2020.
