Emma's Story

Emma, 19 years old - mother of young child

Mum and dad split when I was nine.  Me and my two wee sisters stayed with mum who was an alcoholic. We would see dad twice a week. This lasted for about two years. I remember dad visiting us one day and then never coming back. Mums drinking got really bad after that so I had to look after my two wee sisters most of the time. They were two and three years old. Eventually, we were all taken into care. 

I was about twelve when I was moved from the city and into a foster home in the country.  I couldn't settle and was moved into another foster home in the country.

I was moved again after only eight weeks. This was with a large family who had five other kids. I loved it but soon things changed. I was then moved to a single parent foster home. It was so far from my mates in the city I ran away.  Soon after they found me another single parent foster home.  She was really lovely; she was there for me emotionally and really involved me in her life.  It started to feel like I was there for good.  She always bought me stuff and even allowed me to paint my room pink. 

I enrolled at Tech and completed NVQ level 1 and 2 in maths and English and Clait in IT. I started seeing mum again. She was still drinking and at times I felt like she was emotionally black mailing me because I wasn't there with her. 

When I was about 14 or 15 I was going out drinking and taking drugs at the weekend.  I got with a guy I knew who I'd met when I first returned to the city again. It was up and down like a rollercoaster. One night we had a huge fight and we parted. A few days later I found out I was pregnant.

I went back to the city and everything seemed to settle down. My social worker referred me to a parent assessment unit and I loved it. I had my own flat though I missed my foster parent. My baby was born and everything was great. I had a beautiful wee girl. I knew how to do everything from my experience with my two younger sisters.  I passed the assessment with flying colours and so was allowed to keep my little girl. Many weren't so lucky.  I then went back to my foster parent with my baby girl but it wasn't the same.

Then, one day, my social worker told me about a family hostel run by the Simon Community. It sounded great.  I was allowed to view one of the flats and it was really nice. After an interview I was told I was accepted and moved in shortly afterwards. It really felt like I had my own independence, my own time and my own freedom to do what I wanted to do! I was even able to put my child in the onsite crèche so I could go out to college.  Unfortunately I found the course I was on really hard so I dropped out.

I was busy getting ready for Christmas when I met my ex-boyfriend again. We got on so well he moved in with me and we've been getting on well ever since.

I've now found myself a training placement in a hairdresser's, which I can't wait to start and my boyfriend is looking for work. One thing is for sure I'm not going to let history repeat itself and am going to make sure I'm never homeless again.