When the child came into the program he was one of 6 children that had been taken in by their aunt after dad was in jail for child abuse and mom was living with the children in a crack house in some other state. All the children were in very bad shape yet with time with the aunt they got some help through various services including our program.

The Little, because of his young age and challenges, was the hardest and the last of the children to get a Big Brother. The match came at a time when the child was just being placed back with his mom who was working to improve her condition now living in Michigan. Yet all the other children were older and either living with the aunt or on their own. This made for a very difficult transition for the child. He had numerous problems living with mom, a mom who he was mad at; as well he was going through anger issues with his siblings and neighbor/school kids.

Mom still had deficits but was trying her best. The match continued to grow over the first two year’s and the Big stuck with it, being very consistent and there for the Little. Two years into the match mom announced suddenly that she was having trouble with the child and the child would be going to a local program facility to work with him. This created another change for the child and a hurdle for the Big to overcome because the facility the child was in limited any outside contact between the child and anyone for several months.

With the help of the case manager the Big was able to work with the facility in order to slowly arrange time to see the child – first just at the facility and gradually with visits in the community which helped the match get back to some consistent meetings. Upon release from the program, and plans to move back in with mom, mom found a new boyfriend from across the state and suddenly decided to move there without notice and take the child with her.

Now the Big and Little meet every other week with the promise that mom gave that she will move back into the area sometime. The Big and the agency is sticking with the match through this latest transition in hopes that mom does keep her word, but if she is not able to move back to the area the match will most likely dissolve as the Big will not be able to drive to Hart to see the child, nor would we be able to facilitate that happening.