Carly's story

Carly was referred to our floating support service as somebody living with mental health and possible borderline learning difficulties support needs, but was soon identified as needing additional support with drug and alcohol issues.

This support was needed to stabilise Carly’s tenancy and to identify a transfer into more suitable accommodation as she was experiencing problems with her adult son.

We were able to link her into substance use services within Wandsworth and Carly was, with support, able to stop her use of illicit drugs, though she continued to drink. In order to support her with moving away from associates linked with drugs, we offered Carly a transfer at the end of 2008.

Following her move to the new accommodation we received complaints from the neighbours of excessive noise from visitors to her home and she was linked into our anti-social behaviour (ASB) team who interviewed her with a supported housing team leader present. From this interview it became obvious that Carly was experiencing physical and psychological abuse from her son and an alert was raised.

At this point, because of the nature of the ASB, it was necessary to involve the police and the ASB was sufficiently severe to merit a NoSP.

At this time we were linked to the community safety division at Wandsworth, Carly was reengaged with the CMHT and she was supported to take an injunction against her son, though she was reluctant to do so.

With the support she has received, Carly is no longer being abused by the son, her drug use has stopped and her intake of alcohol reduced.

Although Carly still needs support in several areas, she is no longer causing anti-social behaviour and we are supporting her with her primary needs around mental and physical health.