40 Simon Communities in Ireland Throughout her teenage years, Melissa’s drinking progressed to a pattern of regular use, which she framed as a coping mechanism: “It helped me block out all my childhood, I didn’t have to think about it”. She remained in the family home until she was 22 years old, at which point she was “kicked out” following an argument with her father after the birth of her second child. It was at this juncture that Melissa first presented to homeless services as an adult. She accessed B&B accommodation for a short time before moving to private rented housing with her then-partner. In the quote below, she sums up the next ten years of her life, outlining the various events and circumstances – including intimate partner violence, difficulties in attempting to manage her alcohol use and having to place her children in State care – which led to her re-entering homelessness at the age of 33. “I got a B&B and then I got my flat. There for ten years, I waited for ten years for my council house and then I gave my kids up because I was no use to them. The alcohol addiction I was in and then my abusive ex-partner didn’t help ... So I ended up in hostel and, if I’m being honest, I went in there and I was terrified. My addiction actually got worse because I started drinking on the streets; I was drinking anywhere and everywhere. It was horrible.” After becoming homeless for the third time, Melissa embarked on a circuit of service use, moving between various homeless services and alcohol treatment facilities: “It was a long, prolonged thing. I was going round B&Bs, detox and homeless units. I was a mess”. She experienced a period of stability when her alcohol use decreased and she exited homelessness temporarily and lived in a bedsit for three years. However, Melissa relapsed and lost her accommodation because she was unable to manage her drinking and keep up with rental payments: “I was alright for the first while and then I just fell downhill as you do, feeding that addiction”. She returned to homeless services but also stayed intermittently in the homes of family members. However, these living situations were unsustainable and ultimately short-lived in nature, forcing Melissa back to emergency services. “I was grateful to my sister for taking me in, but it didn’t work out, I was in the way and … that’s how I was feeling and it just led from one thing to another, and they went off for the weekend and then I ended up all over the shop referring to alcohol use. And I was put back in the hostel.” Melissa made the decision to once again seek help, at which point she felt ready to fully engage with services in order to address her ongoing addiction problems. She successfully completed treatment and was moved to post-treatment aftercare where she stayed for approximately 18 months before requesting a move to her current accommodation which she felt was more suited to her needs: “I have everything I need in current accommodation. I do my aftercare and I still do my counselling and I have my key worker… I’d like to stay around here, it’s nice and quiet.” In terms of her perceived service needs, Melissa felt that she required localised services and programmes that would allow her to remain in close proximity to her children: “I wouldn’t go outside of county name because of my kids. I need to stay near to my kids”. Important also was her perceived need for ongoing support in relation to her alcohol use: “I’m still vulnerable, even though I’m two years sober”. Indeed, Melissa emphasised the value of the assistance she was receiving in supported accommodation in terms of helping her to manage her addiction issues. In the quote below she talks about the benefits of having an on-site key worker as well as strict rules in the accommodation pertaining to alcohol use on the premises.
Women, Homelessness and Service Provision
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