A Story of Strength, Support, and Second Chances
Last month, we received a call from the Department of Housing about a mother and her 10-year-old daughter who were in crisis. What followed was a powerful reminder of why Connect Kids exists—and how transformational our support can be when it's needed most.
Meet Sarah and Lily.
At Christmas, Lily’s father relinquished care due to her high and complex needs. Without hesitation, Sarah—who had just completed rehabilitation—travelled from NSW to pick up her daughter, determined to rebuild her life and reunite her family.
But what should have been a time of healing quickly became a fight for survival.
Sarah lost her job, her housing, and the support networks she’d relied on. She and Lily moved 13 times between motels along the Sunshine Coast, caught in a system that was under-resourced and unable to provide timely, effective support. The uncertainty and emotional strain were enormous—and Sarah came close to relapse.
That’s when Connect Kids stepped in.
Within hours of receiving the call, our team was sitting with Sarah and Lily, hearing their story and responding with empathy, urgency, and action.
Within a week, we had:
✅ Secured longer-term accommodation
✅ Advocated for Sarah to take control of Lily’s NDIS plan, ensuring she could manage and access the right supports
✅ Connected Sarah with local AA and NA support groups to strengthen her recovery network
✅ Organised trauma-informed counselling for both mother and daughter
And most importantly, we wrapped care around the three critical pillars every family needs to begin to stabilise:
🏠 Housing – A safe place to call home
🛡️ Safety – Emotional, physical, and psychological security
🍲 Food – Consistent access to nourishment and daily essentials
This is the model that defines Connect Kids.
We don’t offer one-off support. We stay in the trenches, walking alongside families through their toughest chapters—not just until the paperwork is done, but until real change starts to take hold.
We know that disadvantage doesn’t come in neat boxes. It’s layered. It’s complex. And it often involves trauma, systems failure, poverty, isolation, and mental health challenges all at once. That’s why our Intensive Family Support (IFS) model is flexible, holistic, and long-term.
We don’t ask, “What’s wrong?”
We ask, “What do you need—and how can we help make it happen?”
Today, Lily is back in school.
She’s receiving the supports she needs to thrive. Sarah is reconnecting with herself—taking things one day at a time, focusing on recovery, practicing self-care, and finally beginning to breathe again.
Their journey is far from over, but now they are walking it with dignity, hope, and a support system that won’t give up on them.
This is what happens when a mum, once broken by abuse and hardship, rises again—not just as a survivor, but as a lioness fighting for her daughter’s future. 🦁💫
This is the power of connection.
This is the power of community.
This is Connect Kids.
