In March 2023, we made a home visit to Anita with Betty, our social worker. Anita stayed with us at the Rescue Center last year and has since been reunited with her family through our Every Child a Home program. With this program, we ensure that more children can be placed back with families. Betty makes home visits, maintains contact with the family and separately with the child. That way we can make a good assessment about the situation and whether it is safe for the child to return to family.
For us, it was interesting to go along on home visits. We often hear how this works and the results of our Every Child a Home program, but it was good to see and experience this in real life as well.
Our manager, Linda, had provided a food package, two mattresses and a school backpack (for Anita) prior to the home visit. The situation was dire. In Anita’s family’s cabin were two single beds with slatted bases and some pieces of foam rubber that the six of them lay on. Actually, they are even more comfortable on the floor told Anita’s mother, but because of the pests, they still sleep on the slatted floors. Anita’s mother became very emotional when she heard that they were getting two mattresses, because at least now all six of them could lie comfortably on a soft bed. Better sleep has a huge effect on children’s performance, especially in school.
To be honest, we were extra grateful at night when we lay down in our own beds (with mattresses). Beds we don’t have to share with two other people.
Do you also wish these children to lie softly and wake up rested? Just for €30 you can give a family a mattress and make a big difference. Donations can be made here.
