Angela is a mother in her forties and had been married for around 20 years. Throughout the relationship, she experienced psychological and verbal abuse as well as coercive and controlling behaviour from her partner.
Angela is in her forties and had been married for around 20 years. She is the mother of five children, two of whom are now adults. Throughout the relationship, she experienced psychological and verbal abuse as well as coercive and controlling behaviour from her partner. Her partner's mental health difficulties were exacerbated by substance misuse, leading to increasingly unpredictable and dangerous behaviour.
Despite the challenges, Angela made numerous attempts to maintain stability for her family. On one occasion, after leaving the relationship, she attempted reconciliation in the hope of preserving family life. She self-referred to Aura for support and presented as a resilient and capable woman who was balancing part-time employment, caring for her children, and managing the impact of domestic abuse largely on her own.
Over several months, her partner’s behaviour significantly deteriorated. Concerns escalated when a disclosure was made by one of the children to staff at their secondary school. The disclosure revealed that the perpetrator had placed the family at serious risk by attempting to set fire to the kitchen while they were in the home.
Given the severity of the incident and the immediate risk to the family, Angela made the difficult decision to flee the family home with her children and seek refuge with her mother.
For the following 18 months, Angela, her youngest children, and her mother lived together, sharing a single room between them. Securing permanent accommodation became her primary focus, but the prolonged period of homelessness had a significant impact on the family.
The emotional toll was particularly severe for Angela’s daughter, who became very anxious and increasingly isolated. She was unable to attend school and would not leave the house without her mother. At her lowest point, she expressed feelings of hopelessness and stated that she could not see a future for herself or her family.
Angela’s own mental health also deteriorated as she struggled with the ongoing uncertainty, housing instability, and the emotional needs of her children.
Angela’s Aura support worker provided practical and emotional support throughout this challenging period. This included:
The Child Disability Payment application was successful and resulted in a substantial backdated award. This enabled the family to create a dedicated and safe personal space for Angela’s daughter within their future home, supporting her recovery and wellbeing following the trauma she had experienced.
"I would like to say that the service from Aura has been second to none through my domestic abuse situation. Me and my kids have benefitted immensely from the support we have had from [Aura support worker], and we can't thank her enough from the bottom of our hearts. She has been an absolute blessing. From helping me with personal issues to supporting my daughter and her mental health issues, the help and advice was endless, and we can't thank her enough. This service has changed my life for the better and I can shut my door at night and feel much safer."
After 18 months of waiting, Angela was offered a permanent tenancy that met the needs of her family. Although smaller than their previous home, it provided the safety, stability, and security they had been desperately seeking.
Angela’s relief and excitement were evident. To support the transition, Aura assisted her with:
All applications were successful, helping the family establish their new home with reduced financial pressure.
Today, Angela and her children are living free from abuse in a stable environment. With housing security now in place, the family can focus on recovery, particularly Angela and her daughter, who continue to rebuild their confidence, wellbeing, and sense of safety.