Hi there and thanks for getting in touch.
I’m so glad you have sent me your message because you are absolutely right – things are not okay at home and it’s not right that your mum has put you in this situation.
It’s important for you to know that your mum is still responsible for looking after you until you are 18 years old. This includes making sure you have enough to eat and enough money for basic things like heat, lights and water. From everything that you’ve told me your mum isn’t doing this and she is not providing a safe enough place for you to live.
It also sounds as though she is being very selfish and thinking about herself instead of you – such as going on holiday - which sounds like it would make things even harder for you, especially whilst you are living on so little.
You are right in thinking that the council could help as they are also responsible for making sure you’re looked after and it sounds like you’ve decided you want to talk to them. One of the best places for you to start would be Connexions, who can help you to access support from the local authority. There should be a Connexions in your local area and you can get support from them in person but you can also access some information on the direct.gov website.
You can also get in touch with one of the ChildLine counsellors online or on the phone as we can help you find your local Connexions and get you in touch with the right people. It’s free to call from any phone and we’re open all of the time.
Well done again for getting in touch, we’d like to help you start making things better and if you want to talk more, we’d really look forward to that. Take care.
Sam