The Graham Family
Wanting to be a good role model for her children led Lisa Graham to take part in Home Start classes. Lisa and her youngest daughter have attended a number of family learning courses which have seen Lisa’s confidence as a mum grow. A family literacy course has made reading together a more pleasurable experience, and has given Lisa the confidence to explore new opportunities for herself, such as literacy and numeracy classes.
Having spent a childhood in care homes, Lisa struggled with low self esteem and self-confidence. When she became a mother of two at 19, she found herself unable to cope and turned to drugs. This led to shoplifting and her children were taken into care when she was sent to prison. Upon release, her eldest children were returned to her, but when she later gave birth to her daughter, she was still unable to cope. To stop this cycle, a health visitor referred her to Home Start where Lisa finally began to turn her life around.
“My daughter and I have learnt a wide range of crafts, and we have gathered materials so we can be creative together at home,” said Lisa. “I have learnt so much about child development and how to communicate with [my daughter] and my eldest children. It’s so much easier to express myself and I have learnt coping mechanisms that allow me to be a much better parent.”
“I am over the moon to say I’m a positive role model. The best thing I ever did was go along to the Home Start family learning classes as they’ve taught me how to be a mum.”