Katie’s Story
Moving into your first permanent property can be daunting, especially for young people with mental health struggles and neurodiversity. This is Katie’s journey as she moved from supported living into her first permanent home, with the support of hyh. It highlights the strength and resilience she’s shown while navigating the challenges of living independently, managing her mental health, and staying connected with her family.
About Katie
Katie is a triplet, and she and her sisters went into care at the age of 12. They were placed with a foster family, but at 16, they had to move into separate supported living placements. Around that time, they also experienced the heartbreaking loss of their biological father. It was a deeply painful time, but it brought the sisters closer together. They continue to stay in regular contact and support each other emotionally.
Initial referral
Katie was referred to hyh by her Care Leaving PA, ready to move on from supported living, into her first permanent home. From our very first meeting, it was clear Katie was shy and found things like eye contact difficult, but she showed real courage in being open to support.
When Katie joined us, she’d just been given the keys to her new flat — an exciting but overwhelming moment, especially as she’d never lived alone before. Katie lives with autism, anxiety, and depression, and this mix made managing her new home and responsibilities feel even more challenging. She also had rent arrears from her previous accommodation that needed sorting.
Building a relationship and managing bills
hyh’s outreach worker worked quickly to build a trusting relationship with Katie. In time, she began to feel more comfortable opening up to us — asking for help, sharing her worries, and working together on solutions.
One of the first things we did was help Katie set up utility bills and create a budget to suit her new situation. Together, we also put a plan in place to manage her arrears.
At the same time, Katie took on a new challenge by enrolling in college — a sign of her determination to keep growing and learning. hyh have continued to support Katie in building life skills, from managing her home to knowing where to go for help.
Moving Forward
Katie is now managing her flat well, taking real pride in her independence. College has been more of a challenge, especially with her anxiety affecting attendance. But, we’re working closely with her and her college to make sure she gets the support she needs.
Katie’s story highlights the additional struggles young people face when leaving care. Her journey shows the power of patience, trust, and shared values can help build confidence and independence.