Anna describes herself as a loving mother of four beautiful children. While everything in her life seemed picturesque, her relationship with her partner was filled with trauma and violence. Thanks to your support, Anna was able to find the confidence she needed to leave the relationship and find happiness after abuse.

When I approached Mission Australia’s Brighter Futures team, I had experienced a long-term abusive relationship, while raising my four children.

With the support of Mission Australia, we reached out to the police and support services. Since then I feel like my family’s life is so different.

One of the greatest gifts my case worker Janice gave me, was the confidence to contact the police and report abusive behaviour.

At the beginning I hadn’t come to terms with my situation. One of the greatest challenges was realising just how isolated I was.

Talking to someone who had worked with people with similar experiences helped me identify that behaviours I had experienced in my relationship were not okay. My Better Futures case worker helped affirm me, validate my experiences, and understand myself.

There are no words I can use to express how helpful that was for me.

The Brighter Futures team also connected my children and I with the support we need to work through trauma. Although each of my four children had similar experiences in our family life, they respond differently to different forms of care.

One of my children would not say a word during art therapy and was agitated and fidgety. When the Brighter Futures team organised for us to participate in equine therapy, I saw him with the horse, and he was calm and connected.

With four kids with special needs, it’s not always easy to identify what the best things to do for my children and family are – it was really nice to work with a case worker who was down to earth and worked through tricky situations with me, where we could find and chat through the solutions together.

I feel confident that with the right supports my children can adapt and overcome the traumas they have experienced and have opportunities to thrive.

Brighter Futures programs help strengthen families in regions around New South Wales to build safe homes for children.

*Name changed to protect the identity of the people we help.

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