A MOTHER has told how a York charity has saved her sanity – and saved her family from ‘total breakdown.’

The woman has written to thank SASH, which works to prevent youth homelessness in York and North and East Yorkshire by offering a room in the home of a volunteer ‘host.’

She said her son was now a different person thanks to its work, finally appreciating her after they previously had no relationship at all.

She said the problems started when he was eight and his stepfather ‘abandoned’ him, and he started lying, damaging property and throwing away food she couldn’t afford. “Later he stopped seeing his friends. I think that is when depression set in and things got worse.

“He wasn’t interested in a family life at all. He lived in his bedroom, only came down for meals. Despite my efforts, we had no relationship at all. I couldn’t help him and it was very upsetting and stressful for me.

“He was lazy, had no respect for us or our personal possessions and we argued every day to the extent that it affected our whole family life. By the time he turned 18, I was at my wits’ end. I wasn’t sleeping, I was in tears most of the time and couldn’t cope any more. We asked him to move out.”

After she got in touch with a local support agency, he was offered a place in Supported Lodgings with SASH, which taught him some life skills and helped guide him with job interviews. “He went on courses to learn how to cook and budget his money and painted a shed for a charity,” she said. “Getting him out and about has done him a world of good. His support worker was amazing, all credit to her.

“We talked for the first time in years and now he laughs and smiles. He is a different person now. He finally appreciates me. I feel happier and the whole family is happier. The whole experience has changed all our lives for the better. We can now build on our relationship. Thank you for all you have done. You have not only saved my sanity, you have saved our family from total breakdown.”

A SASH spokeswoman said the letter was touching to receive and gave some insight into both the problems that could lead to a young person becoming homeless and the wider benefits achieved by the charity, which did a lot more than just putting a roof over someone’s head. “The wider support that we offer, including rebuilding relationships wherever possible to help the young person move forward, is central to a successful outcome.”