One of our Outreach Workers has been working with Leanne (not her real name) for two years.
I first met Leanne two years ago whilst I was working with another service user. Leanne was living and sleeping in a disused mill to try and escape certain aspects of her life, namely her ex-partner, with whom she was involved in a toxic relationship involving domestic violence and abuse. He had a way of pulling her back into street life whenever Leanne did manage to get clean and move back in with her family. He would encourage her to work on the streets to fund their habits.
When Leanne met her new partner they made the decision to leave the city and move away from her ex. This did not last and she came back after a few months. Although she had got clean during the time that she was away, she soon went back to her ex.
Supporting Leanne was often challenging as it was difficult to find her: she was often sofa-surfing at different places or her ex would be controlling her and stopping her from having contact. Together, a plan was made to get her away from him and she went back to her family home. Her drug worker found a female rehab centre and she agreed to go.
After six weeks she decided to leave the rehab centre as she missed her family. She has remained clean for seven months and is looking to start an NVQ and volunteer in the new year. She hopes to become a Drug Worker and help others who are going through situations she herself has experienced. Next year she hopes to learn to drive and set up contact with her son.
Leanne still needs lots of support and myself and her drug worker are trying to find the correct agencies to help her with the traumas she has suffered.
Recently, we met up for a coffee and to collect her new false teeth. Her ex-partner had punched her teeth out and she was excited not to have a reminder of this abuse. We sat with the teeth on the table in the coffee shop and she talked about how these teeth will give her confidence and self-esteem.