Family Routes: One Year of Supporting Families in Thanet

Over the past year, 64 families have been supported by Family Routes. Many came to us feeling overwhelmed, juggling debt, insecure housing, barriers to work or training and the pressures of parenting on a low income without a support network around them. Often, one or more family members were facing mental health challenges and their children were struggling to attend or engage at school.

Our team works closely with each family, offering practical and emotional help with housing, finances and access to services. Often, the first step is helping life feel a bit more manageable - from there, change starts to happen - stress reduces, confidence grows and families start to feel more stable and hopeful about the future.

In the last six months, we’ve helped families in Thanet access over £100,000 in additional income through benefits, income maximisation and community grants. That’s meant more stability at home, less constant worry about making ends meet and a more positive home environment.

We’ve also seen improvements in school attendance - an important step towards breaking the longer-term cycle of poverty.

Two families who recently reached out to Family Routes show the powerful impact of your support. Both were living in overcrowded, unaffordable housing and felt completely stuck. Childcare responsibilities and very limited support networks meant neither family was able to work, and poor mental health was affecting everyone in the household.

Thanks to you, our team helped with housing applications, debt management and liaising with the council - while also providing access to mental health support to help them cope with the stress and uncertainty they were facing.

Today, both families are in safe, affordable homes - and closer to their extended families, which has made a big difference. As one parent told us, “Thanks to your support, things are finally looking up.”

For one parent, this has meant being able to attend regular counselling sessions for the first time, while a family member helps with childcare. She’s beginning to reconnect with her community and is hopeful about returning to work once her children are settled in school.

For the other family, having more space has transformed their lives. The children finally have a home where they can rest and focus, and their wellbeing has improved significantly. One child, who had been struggling at school, is now much more settled and able to fully engage in lessons.

With your help, we were also able to secure a grant for a proper bed, something simple but life changing for a child who had been sleeping on a mattress on the floor for years. One parent summed up the experience by saying, “You’ve gone above and beyond, and the future is feeling much more optimistic.”

These stories are only possible because of you. Together, we are helping families get back on their feet, find security and build stable futures.