Pushed into homelessness at 14 years old

Beth came from a difficult childhood, her father was an alcoholic, arguments in the house were common and she was a victim of both abuse and neglect. She left the family home aged 14 and became homeless.

Beth was rough sleeping on the streets of London for many years.  She experienced and witnessed many horrific things. Eventually, she sought help from the local hospital and was sectioned under the mental health act.  From there, it was suggested that she was moved out of London to give her the best chance of securing a route out of homelessness.  She was moved to a psychiatric hospital in Devon, and from there offered a place in the Chy Colom rehab facility in Cornwall. Beth needed somewhere to live after her stay at Chy Colom, and she was referred to St Petrocs.

Beth accepted the offer of supported accommodation with St Petrocs, and over the course of the last three years has continued working on gaining stability in her life, addressing her behaviours and improving her mental health. In addition, the support she received from St Petrocs offered her a chance to build the life skills that she requires to live independently.

Beth has now accepted a tenancy with a local housing association and has successfully moved on to the next stage her in her life.

St Petrocs continue to offer floating support to Beth to ensure her tenancy is a success. She now hopes that she will be able to get her driving licence and purchase a car. Her goal is to be employed within the next couple of years. In her words, “becoming a contributing member of society”, something she says she has never been able to do before.