Johnston-Ross Family Journey
The Johnston-Ross family is one of five ‘archetypes’ created for our social impact report, based on a series of ‘typical’ storylines about the lives of people that we help. By using these, we can explore their needs, their journey to Right There, how they are supported by us and the difference Right There has made in their lives – as well as what could happen if they did not access help from us.
Johnston-Ross journey prior to Right There
The Johnson-Ross family has faced significant turmoil, exacerbated by the effects of domestic violence and Mum’s substance use and poor mental health. Five years ago, the two children in the family moved to live with their gran in an informal kinship care arrangement.
The change was emotionally difficult, resulting in attachment concerns, anxiety, depression, and behaviours of concern. Despite their gran’s best efforts to secure support, lengthy waitlists hindered this, and changing schools disrupted their education. Gran faced financial strain due to the lack of formal support, struggling with caregiving costs. This led to tension and conflict within the household.
Johnston-Ross Journey with Right There’s Support
Recognising the family’s need for support, the school refers them to the Right There mentoring programme, pairing each child with a mentor. These mentors initially engage the children in enjoyable activities to foster a sense of importance and carefreeness, gradually building strong bonds and trust. As the children open up, they feel valued and understood, boosting their self-esteem and confidence. With newfound validation and resilience, they show noticeable improvements in behaviour and academic performance.
Additionally, Right There support workers assist Gran in navigating bureaucratic hurdles, securing referrals for specialised services, and connecting with support groups. The support provided by Right There not only alleviates Gran’s anxieties and lessens the financial burden but also significantly improves her quality of life and health, allowing her to regain some independence and personal time.
Re-establishing ties with the children’s mum, facilitated by Right There, not only fulfils a desire shared by both the children and Gran but also fosters a sense of completeness and connection within the family, contributing to their overall well-being and sense of belonging.
Johnston-Ross Journey without Right There’s Support
In the absence of Right There’s support, the family continue to face challenges that disrupt their wellbeing and family cohesion. The children’s lack of comprehensive support impedes their academic progress both at school and home, resulting in increased emotional turmoil and hindering their educational journey.
Meanwhile, Gran grapples with overwhelming caregiving responsibilities and financial strain. Without the advocacy and assistance provided by Right There, she is forced to relocate to a smaller home in a different area, unsettling the children and exacerbating Gran’s own emotional burden. Conflicts escalate as Gran struggles to cope amidst mounting mental strain and a lack of support.
The children’s disengagement from school perpetuates a cycle of struggle and isolation. Without specialised support and advocacy, the family faces separation, with the children placed in different care arrangements, further complicating their already challenging circumstances.
Economic evaluation of the outcomes from the Johnston-Ross story
For each individual “Johnston-Ross Family”, this is detailed as:
- Receiving support to apply for further entitlements and better manage her finances, Gran has avoided the risk of rent arrears or eviction, which has yielded a saving of £2.4k for the local authority and avoided slipping into problem debt which saves the economy £6.3k.
- Receiving support has meant that both children will avoid coming into contact with the criminal justice system as they move into their teens, saving the criminal justice system £177.2k.
- Receiving support to avoid substance misuse issues alongside other physical and mental wellbeing outcomes, saving £21.7k.
The largest areas of value generated by Right There’s support for the Johnston-Ross family, are in:
- Receiving support from a mentor in relation to the children’s education, the savings yielded to the Department Of Education, and the local authority are £79.6m, for avoiding school exclusion and being absent or going missing from school as well as avoiding being NEET at age 18.
Extrapolating this out for all the “Johnston-Ross families” receiving support from Right There a social benefit of at least £89 million would be generated.
