Cathy Beacham was heavily pregnant and had escaped family violence when she was confronted by the prospect of becoming homeless.
The then-17-year-old reached out for support from her midwife, who instead called child protection not knowing what else to do, making Beacham feel degraded and fear her baby would be taken away. 
It wasn’t until Beacham got in touch with community organisation Melbourne City Mission she was finally heard and helped.
Now living with two young children in temporary housing in Melbourne while she awaits a permanent home, the 19-year-old considers herself one of the lucky ones. 
“(My caseworker) heard my story and she felt really bad for me and she picked it up a lot quicker than I was meant to be picked up,” Beacham said….