For Emma, home is about more than having a roof over her head.
After years of family violence, homelessness and uncertainty, having a safe place where her eight children can simply be children is something she never takes for granted.
Emma was in a relationship with her children’s father for 16 years. During the last three years, the relationship became increasingly abusive.
“It was a very difficult time,” she says. “Everything fell on me. I was trying to protect the children and keep life as normal as possible.”
When she finally left the relationship, she was focused on creating a safer future for her family. But just days after Christmas in 2023, another crisis hit. The private rental they were living in flooded during severe storms, leaving the home uninhabitable.
What followed was months of instability. Emma and her children moved between crisis accommodation and temporary housing, often with little notice about where they would be staying next.
“We’d be told we had two days here, then a few days somewhere else,” she recalls. “We were constantly moving.” For a family already recovering from trauma, the uncertainty was exhausting. The children struggled to settle, make friends and feel secure. Just as they would begin to adjust to one place, it was time to move again. “As a parent, you just want your children to feel safe,” Emma says. “Nothing ever felt stable.”
Finding a private rental large enough for a family of nine felt impossible. Despite applying for countless properties, Emma knew her chances were slim.
Then she was connected with housing support services and eventually offered a home through WPI. The impact was immediate. For the first time in years, Emma and her children could stop focusing on survival and start planning for the future. “It feels like we’ve finally put our roots down,” she says.
Today, the family is thriving. Her eldest son has started an apprenticeship, another child has joined the Army Cadets, and her daughter recently signed up with the local football club. The three middle children are settled in school. The two youngest, just 3 and 2, have the space to play and be active.
“For a long time they didn’t want to leave my side but they’ve really come out of their shells,” Emma says. “They’re making friends, joining activities and becoming part of the community.” Emma is also finding connections in the community and getting involved in
The family now has the stability they had been missing for so long. The children can walk to school, visit their grandfather nearby and enjoy the routines that many families take for granted.
For Emma, the greatest gift has been peace of mind. After years of living with violence and then months spent wondering where her family would sleep each night, she finally feels safe.
Looking around her home today, she sees far more than bricks and mortar. She sees security. Most importantly, she sees a future.
