The Pause programme in West Sussex is currently open.
Pause programme
The Pause programme works with women who have experienced, or are at risk of, repeat removals of children from their care. It aims to break this cycle and give women the opportunity to develop new skills and responses that can help them create a more positive future.
We can provide more intensive longer-term support to birth mothers who have recently had children removed from their care.
Engagement is voluntary, allowing women to take a break from pregnancy by giving them space to understand their past and reflect on how it impacts on their behaviours. Through support, this aims to help women develop confidence and hope for the future.
Women who participate in Pause support are required to use contraception to allow a ’pause’ from pregnancy for the duration of their support.
We can work alongside women to help them:
- make sense and manage their loss as a result of children being removed from their care
- understand the social work processes following removal
- communicate with other professionals who may be involved in their life
- with contact, including support with ‘goodbye for now’ contact
- understand the adoption and other legal or social work processes and manage to cope during this time
- manage and understand future direct or indirect relationships they may have with their child(ren) and be part of Life Story work
- focus on themselves, build better relationships and find new ways to enjoy life
We work with women who:
- are residents of West Sussex
- have had a child recently removed from their care
- do not currently have children in their care
- are aged 18-40
We also offer support to women who are not eligible for the above intensive support or who have completed our programme as part of our next steps programme through our Birth mother support group.
Birth mother support group
Our groups are for birth mothers and women who no longer have children in their care as a result of adoption, long-term foster care, Special Guardianship Order (SGO) or Court Arrangement Order (CAO). They allow space to share experiences in a safe and confidential way.
Our staff are also available to provide confidential support to talk through their experiences and, where appropriate, provide practical advice and guidance.
The groups are free of charge and take place monthly in Worthing and Bognor Regis.
Contact us for group dates or further information. Birth mothers can also contact us directly if they just want to talk.
Referral form
Referrals can only be accepted via completion of the referral form below.
Pause referral form (Word, 104KB)