Rebuilding safety and stability for a young mum and her son

When Jessica arrived at Gilgal in June 2025 with her two-year-old son, she faced a different sort of challenge to many of the women we support; she was fleeing abuse from her brother within the family home.

Leaving meant stepping away from the only home she’d ever known, and creating a painful balance: protecting her child while managing family pressure, guilt, and long journeys back and forth to check her mum was doing okay. 

Moving into Gilgal’s refuge offered safety, but it was also a huge change.  

“I was really worried being out of my usual area and away from family,” she told us. Jessica’s little boy struggled to sleep and settle, and she worried about his development with the impact of so many sudden shifts.  

At Gilgal, Jessica found space to breathe. 
Staff welcomed her into the refuge community, offering a mix of emotional support, practical help, and the everyday kindness she needed to feel less alone. Creative activities, like arts and craft sessions, became moments where she could relax and reconnect with herself. 

One of the biggest turning points was securing long-term housing. Gilgal’s support with the bidding process, evidence letters, and the endless paperwork involved meant Jessica never had to face it alone. When she was finally offered a two-bedroom flat, staff stood beside her through every stage; from dealing with delays to excitedly preparing for move-in day. 

Financial support also made a huge difference. With staff’s help, Jessica was able to access the Household Support Fund, Housing Benefit and a gain a Buttle UK grant, allowing her to furnish her new home and create a warm, comforting space for her son. Refuge staff even helped organise purchases and deliveries so the flat felt like their own from the moment they walked in. 

Alongside this, Gilgal supported Jessica to navigate nursery options, advocate for her son’s needs, and link in with health services – reducing her worries and helping her build a stable routine for him. A key part of their journey was the support of Gilgal’s Children’s Worker. She took time to get to know Jessica’s son, offering ideas to ease transitions and giving Jessica reassurance when things felt overwhelming. “The Support Worker was always available when I needed her help.” This specialist, child-focused support made Jessica feel heard, guided, and never alone in advocating for her little boy. 

In November 2025, Jessica moved into her new home. 
She describes it as her and her son’s first “magical Christmas”; safe, quiet, and full of the small, ordinary moments she had been longing for. 

Today, Jessica is settled, and watching her son thrive in his new routine and environment. Her home is a place of calm and possibility, built step by step with her own determination and the support she found at Gilgal. She is continuing to study her degree in Criminology & Psychology, which she never gave up on despite all the other changes in her life.  

This is Jessica’s new beginning, and we’re all so proud of how far she’s come.