Gina and her family moved to Dagenham from Italy and she started attending LifeLine School. Her mum worked full time, but the family still didn’t have enough to make ends meet. They were unable to access benefits as Gina’s mum did not know how the system worked.
Staff at LifeLine School were concerned about Gina and visited her home to see if they could help. We soon realised that her Mum needed a little help with the family finances. The staff member who had visited Gina’s mum arranged for her to see someone at the Job Centre to help her access financial assistance. They also sourced food from a local food bank and dropped it round for the family until Gina’s mum was able to get the financial support she needed.
This practical help not only meant the family were supported and cared for, but it made it much easier for Gina to come to school and enjoy her learning. Gina was keen to work hard and did well in her exams. After attending college, Gina went to university and is now a trained social worker with a family of her own.