Mandy lives in a small two-bedroom flat with three of her children: her adult son, her 12-year-old daughter Sally, who has autism spectrum disorder and is currently being home educated by Mandy, and three-year-old April, who Mandy affectionately describes as “hyper”.
The flat feels cramped. With limited space and few places for April to safely burn off energy, Mandy often feels “squashed” — physically and emotionally.
The family relocated to Littlehampton to escape years of domestic abuse. Leaving was not simple. Mandy speaks with striking honesty about why she stayed for so long, reflecting on her own unsettled childhood. Her early years were marked by instability, moving between her mum and stepmum as her dad moved between households, and at times staying with her nan. There was no consistent sense of home.
Over the years she has struggled with alcohol, has been diagnosed with depression, generalised anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. She is open about these challenges and continues to work hard to manage her mental health while parenting three children.
Mandy was referred to Home-Start by her Health Visitor and been attending Family Group for a year. She says, “Family Group means so much to me and April.”
For April, Family Group is space — space to run, to play, to explore toys they don’t have room for at home, to let off steam and mix with other children. In a safe, welcoming space, she can simply be three years old.
For Mandy, it is something deeper.
It is routine.
It is respite.
It is connection.
Once a week, she can leave the walls of the flat behind. She can talk — and she laughs that she talks a lot — but mostly she can be heard. The Home-Start staff are non-judgemental, consistent and kind. They have signposted her to other organisations, helped her navigate schooling and housing questions, and supported her to access information she would otherwise struggle to manage alone.
But what has mattered most is that they listen.
Having moved to a new town, Mandy had to cut ties with most family and friends to keep her former partner away. Starting again has been lonely. Through Family Group, she has met other mums with similar lived experiences. She jokes that she sometimes feels “like part of the furniture” — a quiet testament to how safe and accepted she feels.
On one occasion, utterly exhausted, she lay down on the sofa at group, knowing staff would gently keep an eye on Ivy as she ran around. That moment of trust — of being able to rest — meant everything.
Mandy worries deeply about the impact of domestic abuse on her 12-year-old. She carries guilt about what her children have witnessed and worries about the difficult conversations that lie ahead as her children grow and ask questions about their father.
There are still many challenges to navigate — housing, schooling, mental health and rebuilding a support network — but Mandy is clear about one thing:
Leaving the abuse was the turning point.
Finding Family Group has helped her stay strong.
While she is at group, she feels safe. She feels seen. She feels heard. And most importantly, she feels hopeful. She believes April will be okay.
Through consistent, compassionate support, Home-Start has helped Mandy break a cycle — creating a good start in life for her April, built not on fear, but on safety, connection and play.