Developing Health & Independence’s partnership with social impact investor Resonance is changing lives in the South West, offering the foundations for families to thrive.
Adele is a 38-year-old mum from Bristol, a city she has called home her entire life. Before becoming a mother, Adele worked in a pharmacy – a job she loved. Later, she moved into the care sector between having her two children, now aged 10 and 5. However, due to her son’s additional needs, she had to give up work. “I would love to return to work,” she explains, “but it cost me more going back to work than not.”
Adele is living in one of Resonance’s National Homelessness Property Fund 1 properties in Bristol, one of five homelessness property funds. This is Adele’s story and her experiences of homelessness.
Adele’s journey into homelessness began in 2017, following a breakup. The landlord of the property she and her young son were living in decided to sell up, leaving them without a home. They were placed in a hostel and later moved twice more before they were moved into a small, noisy, self-contained apartment.
Eventually, after a year in temporary accommodation, Adele was offered a two-bedroom flat. The location was ideal, close to schools, shops, and bus routes. But the flat itself presented new challenges.
It was located on the first floor in a former retirement complex, making Adele and her son the only young family there. “I always had to tell my son to keep the noise down,” she explains. “When he cried at night, I worried about upsetting the neighbours.” Her son, now diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety, struggled in the flat’s confined environment.
Earlier this year, Developing Health & Independence's Home Turf Lettings service moved Adele and her children to a new, ground-floor flat in the same area. The difference was immediate and transformative.
For Adele, having a stable home means everything. “I grew up in a happy, stable home with food and warmth and a roof over our heads. That’s all I want for my children.” She credits DHI with providing practical support that made settling in possible. “They gave me a fridge freezer and a cooker, which meant I could cook and store food for my son straight away. It took a huge worry off my shoulders.
“We are very happy in our new home,” Adele says. “It is smaller, but the living conditions are much better, the neighbours are friendly and the bills are much more affordable.” Her electricity bill alone dropped from over £400 a month to £150. “I was becoming very depressed and upset before moving. Now I feel we have freedom, and my children’s health is no longer at risk.”
Their new home is close to everything they need: a shop one minute away, a bus stop nearby, school within walking distance, and a local park. “The best thing about our new home is it now feels like a home. We are all happy.”
The children are more settled too. Both are involved in Cubs and Rainbows, giving them opportunities to interact with others outside school. “Seeing my children go from a cold flat where they were always being told to keep the noise down, to now being able to run outside when they want and not having blankets wrapped around them all the time - it has made a massive change in them. And there are no stairs for my son to fall or jump from, and the shop being close makes it easier after school or a day out.”
Adele still faces challenges. As a full-time carer for her son, returning to work is complicated. “If I was to return to work, I’d have to pay rent, council tax, and childcare – and I wouldn’t be any better off. Some employers don’t understand the need to be called away when your child needs you.”
Despite this, she’s optimistic about the future. “Now that I am in a happier, more liveable home, I’d like to look into options for returning to work or maybe a course that could help my career in the future – when the time is right.”
Adele offers this advice to anyone in a similar position: “Keep trying for what your family needs. Your family’s health is very important, and where you live has a massive impact on that.”
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