“I’m Carrie, and I’m five. I live with my mum and dad in social housing in town. It’s calm and tidy, and I like that it’s just the three of us.
My parents both work, and I get the food and clothes I like, and things like swimming, which I love.
We can even visit family on the Mainland, once a year, which feels special.
But not everything is simple. My dad has had a hard time with his mental health and drinking. He also had money problems, spending more money than we had. That made things stressful for a while.
Mum works really hard to keep everything steady. She doesn’t always show it, but I can tell she carries a lot.
My life feels safe. I have what I need, and I feel cared for. But I know my parents are working hard behind the scenes to keep things that way.”
