Helpful grants in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis

Noah is five and lives in Stirlingshire, Scotland with his mum Rebecca. He is autistic, nonverbal, and has some sensory difficulties.

Rebecca explains, “Noah was diagnosed as autistic when he was three and a half years old. He’s nonverbal so communicating is really difficult. His school have been helpful with encouraging Makaton and picture symbols. But Noah hasn’t picked any of that up yet. So understanding what he wants is a real challenge. It can be a guessing game as to what he needs. Also, Noah has some sensory difficulties, lacks a sense of danger, and can become frustrated when he has to wait for things.

“Noah’s behaviour can be challenging. He’s sometimes aggressive towards other people. On some occasions, when he has a meltdown, Noah will trash and break things. It’s hard to manage. Due to Noah’s behaviour, life can be quite isolating at times since we’re not able to go out and join other families in activities.

“We have to ensure that we stick to a routine. Everything has to be the same. If there’s any changes then it’ll throw Noah off for the whole day. He’s also restricted to certain foods since he will only eat particular brands and types of foods. At the moment Noah will only eat sausages. If I can’t find his particular brand, then I have to keep searching until I do.”

How Family Fund helped

Family Fund has supported Noah and Rebecca through grants including a trampoline, sensory equipment, washing machine, and a bed and mattress.

Rebecca says, “When our old washing machine broke down, Family Fund granted us a new one which was bigger and better. I’ve got to wash clothes all the time because Noah gets dirty really easily.

“Thanks to Family Fund, I no longer have to worry about whether the washing machine is going to work or not.”

“Noah’s old bed was falling apart. We purchased a new bed using the bed and mattress grant which was a mid-sleeper because we thought that if we got Noah a higher bed then it would encourage him to settle at night. The grant helps Noah to get into bed, whereas before he would immediately just run off.

“The trampoline grant has had a huge impact on Noah. He loves being outside and it allows him to burn off energy. There’s a safety net around the trampoline, so I know I can let him safely play outside. With our sensory equipment grant, we purchased a guitar because Noah loves music.

“Family Fund is an amazing charity. We greatly appreciate the grants that we’ve received, they’ve had a huge impact in our lives. It really does help, especially with the current cost of living situation. Usually, we’ve had to buy second hand things which means when it breaks then it’s done.

“With the Family Fund grants, we’re able to buy new items that last longer and come with a guarantee which is helpful.”