Elizabeth & Adele’s Story

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected families in many different ways across the country. Elizabeth shares how our North Ayrshire service saved her family when things were completely out of control.

Elizabeth & Adele’s Story

The Coronavirus pandemic was really tough for our family and it nearly broke us. Before the first lockdown Adele was shown a video at school about a killer coronavirus. And then her auntie Kathleen caught it. Everything spiralled out of control for Adele from there.

Adele suffers from grief, trauma and separation anxiety due to a traumatic start to her life. Her biological parents couldn’t look after her, so she came to live with me when she was 11 weeks old. I became her mum.

The combination of the pandemic and Adele’s auntie catching the virus triggered some bad memories for Adele and she couldn’t cope.

Adele became violent. She trashed our house three nights in a row. She wasn’t sleeping at night, sometimes she would finally crash out at 6am, and she wasn’t eating. I was really struggling and I didn’t know what to do so I turned to Adele’s school for help.

The school Adele was attending offered her access to the nurture room online and by phone call. But this wasn’t the help Adele needed. Before the second lockdown Adele moved school, and it was at this school that the head teacher made the referral to Aberlour, and we were introduced to Nikki.

Nikki has been a real-life saver for our family.

Nikki listens to Adele and understands her. She allows Adele to talk about whatever is troubling her and knows the best way to get her to open up. Adele has even started to talk to Nikki about her birth parents.

By talking with her, Nikki is starting to help Adele understand what happened in her early life and is helping her to accept it. Adele is only eight so I know that in the future more questions will come and I know Nikki and Aberlour will always be there to help us.

For me, Nikki is always there as a sounding board. No matter the time of day, I can contact her if we are struggling. She reassures me that what I am doing is right; that I am not failing as a parent. She provides advice so I can support Adele when she can’t deal with her emotions.

We have only been working with Nikki for seven months and I can see a massive positive difference, not only in Adele but in our family. Adele is much calmer and happier, and there have been no more violent outbursts. She can now process her emotions and feelings much better. I am starting to see my little girl coming back.

Our house is a happy house again.

We are building a strong and open relationship together and I am so proud of her.