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No child should have to live in fear. No child should feel the need to call the police on their own dad to protect the family from another drug and alcohol fuelled violent rage. No child should feel they need to be the parent for a younger sibling because mum and dad cannot care for them. This is when Barnardos first met Jack, he was just five years old.
Jack’s parents battled with drug and alcohol abuse. Jack’s dad would beat his mum, while the brothers would find a safe place to hide, cowering together for comfort. One day when Jack was five and his brother three, his dad grabbed a kitchen knife and held it to his mother’s throat. Jack was so scared he called the police and his dad was taken away. Jack’s mum had mental health issues and couldn’t care for the boys so they were taken into Barnardos care.
This was just the beginning of the long journey of support required for Jack and his brother.
Barnardos were able to find a permanent family for the boys and provided them with the special support and care they needed to deal with the trauma of family break-up and the deep emotional wounds of violence.
But every day in Australia, there are 186 new reports of child abuse and neglect. Please consider donating to our spring appeal today, so we can support and protect more children like Jack and help change their lives forever.
*Models used and names changed to protect privacy
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