Tory, Dylan &Violet's Story: Community Bubs

“The activities I was referred to and the welcoming feeling [the worker] put out to me after feeling so isolated for months was just exactly what I needed. The mental health decline was honestly made better just by having someone there for me.” 

At 20, ‘Tori’, a first time mum to ‘Violet’, was referred to the Community Bubs program when Violet was 14 weeks old. 

At the time, Tori had recently separated from Violet’s father, ‘Dylan’, and was living with her father and two siblings. The home’s overcrowding affected Violet’s sleep, as Tori was co-sleeping with her on a foldout bed in the lounge. Tori faced emotional and verbal abuse from her father and siblings, impacting her confidence in her parenting abilities. The practitioner supported Tori to recognise the family violence occurring, slowly build confidence, and eventually find a private rental for herself and Violet. 

The Community Bubs practitioner supported Tori and Violet to connect with their new local community. With support and gradual exposure, Tori was able to begin to recover from her anxiety in social situations. By the end of the support period, Tori had gained enough confidence to join a group fitness class, where she befriended another mum. They even celebrated Violet’s first birthday together! 

Tori found alternative employment with more suitable working hours, and also enrolled at university to study Education. The Community Bubs practitioner assisted Tori to enrol Violet in child care, which allowed Tori to balance work, study, and motherhood effectively. 

The Practitioner also facilitated sessions with Dylan to improve his confidence, parenting skills and strengthen his bond with Violet. Violet was then able to safely be cared for by both her father and mother, as her parents began their co-parenting journey after separation. Violet thrived in this safe environment and developed into a playful, active and sociable baby.