Our Stories

When Emma attended her baby’s routine maternal and child health appointment, she was doing her best to hold everything together.

Her husband had recently lost his job after a workplace accident, Emma was on maternity leave, this left the family without an income. At the same time, their other daughter was becoming increasingly unwell, losing weight and undergoing specialist tests to determine the cause. With a newborn at home, mounting bills, and the stress of caring for a sick child, Emma was also battling postnatal depression.

Although she reached out to several services for help, she kept hearing the same response: she didn’t meet the eligibility criteria. She didn’t have a concession card. She didn’t qualify for support. Doors kept closing.

By the time she found our Single Session Service, Emma felt exhausted and overwhelmed.

Our single sessions offered to self-referrals or those referred to us by professionals, for short term, once-off support. Mainly for supports such as material aid and referrals to other services.

We were able to provide immediate practical support, including nappies and children’s clothing, without referrals or complicated requirements. While these items may seem small, they made a profound difference.

“Every dollar we had was going towards the mortgage and specialist appointments for our daughter,” Emma shared. “Something as simple as a pack of nappies meant one less thing to worry about.  It helped me feel like we weren’t alone.”

More than the practical assistance, it was the feeling of being heard and supported during one of the darkest periods of her life that mattered most.

Today, Emma’s family is in a much stronger position. Grateful for the help they received, she later donated her daughter’s outgrown clothes to support other families facing hardship.

Her story is a reminder that sometimes, a single conversation, a small gesture, or one session of support can provide hope when everything feels impossible.