By DR JUDITH SLOCOMBE, CEO, The Alannah and Madeline Foundation
A few weeks ago we received a Facebook message from Carly, a young mother who had recently been forced to seek shelter at a refuge to escape her violent partner.
Carly and her nine-year-old son, Max, arrived at the refuge with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. She described it as a particularly traumatic experience.
“Arriving at the refuge was scary. You don’t know who you can trust. It is hard to believe you are ever going to be safe because you’ve just left such an unpredictable situation. You don’t know where to begin,” she said.
Carly’s story is a familiar one. For many years, staff at The Alannah and Madeline Foundation has heard stories of women and children fleeing violent situations with no time to gather any of their possessions.
It is a particularly daunting experience for children, who arrive in a strange and unsettling environment with none of the items they rely on to create the routine they need to feel safe.
Seven years ago The Alannah and Madeline Foundation created the Buddy Bags program to support children entering emergency accommodation. Buddy Bags are backpacks filled with essential items which are important to such as pyjamas, socks, underwear, toiletries, a book and a teddy bear.
It sounds like such a simple idea, but we know that receiving a Buddy Bag helps make a very traumatic experience a little easier for children.
Top Comments
What an incredible organisation and such a bittersweet milestone. Well done to everyone involved. Truly inspiring.