Success stories

These stories are from Jigsaw affiliated agencies but all names have been changed to protect client confidentiality.

Tamsin’s story

Tamsin is a bright and happy toddler, but her life could have been very different. She was born addicted to her mother’s morphine. For the first month of her life, she was agitated and distressed. The hospital ‘managed’ her addiction by reducing her morphine intake over a period of a month.

Tamsin’s mother Mary was addicted to drugs. Both of Mary’s parents had been heroin addicts. Mary’s mother had injected her daughter when she was only 16. Mary had been to court for shoplifting, and to prison for fraud. When Mary was pregnant, she was on the methadone programme, but she was still ‘topping up’ with other drugs. Mary’s partner Tony was on the methadone programme, too. He was also taking ‘P’ and topping up with other drugs.

Mary had had a baby who had died of cot death. But when Tamsin was born, she still slept in Mary’s bed. Mary smoked heavily around her.

For over a year, the Family Help Trust’s Intervention Programme helped Mary and Tony begin to turn their lives around. Tamsin now sleeps in her own bed and is always appropriately dressed and cared for. She is at the centre of her parent’s lives and receives lots of cuddles and positive attention. She has developed into a happy and well-adjusted toddler.

Mary has stopped smoking, stopped topping up and her methadone use is reduced. She and Tony no longer commit crimes, and they and have cut ties with antisocial friends. Mary is currently attending a computer course. Mary’s relationship with her mother has improved and her mother now works part-time for the first time in her life. Tony is has also stopped topping up, and is starting to look for work. The couple is being supportive of Tony’s mother who has just come out of detox.

Tamsin is real. She is one of the many high-risk children living in New Zealand with families that struggle every day to fight their addictions, live on a legal income and put their children’s needs first. Her families’ problems are generational and won’t change overnight. But Jigsaw agencies will be there for the long haul to help this family and many others to stay on track and to break the cycle for children like Tamsin.

Tom’s story

Tom, an 11-year-old boy, was getting into trouble for his aggression. He was involved in a fight with another student at school. In the fight, the other student’s arm was broken.

It was agreed that Tom would undertake a Clean Anger programme. Tom’s mother thought her son had been labelled a bully, and that staff at school were picking on him. Because of the fight, she thought he would be treated unfairly. Tom and the other student had both apologised and were friends again.

Tom completed the Clean Anger programme. His parents were encouraged to use different disciplinary methods. This helped Tom to change his aggressive manner and make positive changes at school and home. His mother no longer feels that her son is being treated differently at school. Tom remains in school and recently asked his mother if he could come back to the programme to help him keep on track.

Miranda’s story

The counsellor of a local intermediate school referred 13-year-old Miranda to a JIGSAW affiliated agency. The counsellor said Miranda had become disrespectful. Miranda was often stood down from school, and the school was considering excluding her altogether.

Miranda’s mother came in to discuss her daughter’s behaviour. She felt she had exhausted all her options. She wanted time out from her daughter, who she found demanding and inconsiderate. Miranda would often not come home, and fail to let her mother know where she was. On one occasion, Miranda was missing for a week. The police had not considered her a missing person because she had contacted people, but she had refused to tell anyone where she was.

Miranda agreed that her behaviour was a problem. She was aware of her poor relationships with her family and teachers. She agreed to work on improving her relationships, and to complete an anger management and drug awareness programme.

Miranda moved to her uncle and aunt’s home, whom she had a lot of respect for. She completed her programmes and eventually moved back home. She made a huge effort to improve her relationships, especially with her mother. Her mother now says that they can have a conversation without arguing. Miranda finished at intermediate school, and moved to a local high school. She excels at sports and is doing really well.