Laura* was 11 when she first moved into the DIY Dad’s program with her dad. 

It became clear quite early on that the trauma Laura had experienced in her life had had a severe impact on her. She was suspended from school frequently. It was on these days when she didn’t have a lot to do, that she spent time engaging with the Activities Officer at DIY Dads. 

She learnt how to cook and even participated in the ‘cooking on a budget’ life-skills program with her Dad. One of the key successes of the life-skills program has been the opportunity for the dads to learn guiding behaviours and develop important parenting skills. This has helped Laura to better understand boundaries, something that she initially struggled with.

*Name changed and models used for privacy reasons. 

This story was first published in our 2020 Annual Report. To view the full Annual Report, click here.