Residential village turns young mother’s life around
Mother Infant Village
The Mother Infant (MI) Village is a safe haven for mothers and children who have experienced family violence. Offering both a day program and a residential village, victim survivors have access to a wide range of supports to help them heal and rebuild their lives free from violence.
Katrina* was 20 years old and 35 weeks pregnant when she moved into the MI Village. She was homeless due to family violence and had been living in crisis accommodation at a motel.
New mother and child find a safe home at last
Sadly, Katrina’s childhood had been marred by significant family violence, and she had struggled with alcohol and drug use.
Having been through the foster care system herself, Katrina was determined to raise her child in a safe and nurturing environment that they could call home.
Like all mothers, Katrina wants to give her child “the best possible chance at life.”
Fortunately, Katrina was referred to the MI Village and moved into one of the four units at the residential village in Ballarat, Western Victoria.
I want to bring my baby to a place that we can call home; where we can grow together.
Katrina turns her life around at the Mother Infant Village
Since moving into the MI Village, Katrina has given birth to a beautiful baby.
The young family quickly settled into their new home, and Katrina focused on improving her parenting and communication skills, building her child development awareness and learning how to budget and cook.
Katrina has regularly attended Supported Playgroup (led by a qualified facilitator), a weekly mother and infant therapeutic program, participated in family violence counselling and joined a community cooking group.
She has also started learning to drive (through the L2P program) and attended additional classes held at the MI Village, such as health and first aid (infant and adult) workshops. To top it all off, Katrina has started studying to secure a future career for herself.
The Mother Infant Village has turned my life around. Without the opportunities that have been offered to me, I saw a very different future for myself and my child.
A role model for our residential village community
Katrina is a remarkable young woman, who has made a wonderful contribution to the MI Village community. She has become a role model for the other mums, including those in the day program.
Like all the residents at the MI Village, Katrina welcomed the support that came from being around other mums with similar lived experiences. In return, she was always available and willing to support others in the program in whatever ways she could, such as by babysitting the other children or cooking a meal for a new family.
With the support of the MI Village, Katrina has been able to grow and develop a strong and nurturing relationship with her young child in a safe environment free from violence.
About Mother Infant Village
MI Village is a holistic, trauma-informed program located in Ballarat, Western Victoria. It aims to intervene early and provide a safe and nurturing environment to support young mothers and infants to recover from the impact of family violence.
*Name has been changed in the interest of privacy. The model pictured is not connected to the case study.