Pause Slough recently celebrated its first anniversary as
part of Slough Children’s Services Trust, a year that has seen the lives turned
round of 17 women who were previously at risk of repeat removals of children
from their care. For many women working with Pause, it was the first time their
needs were prioritised, and the focus was placed on them, to support them and
help them realise their goals.
Pause Slough aims to break the cycle of repeat removals by
giving women the opportunity to tackle previous negative patterns of behaviour,
and develop new skills and responses, empowering them to create a more positive
future. In doing so, it can help prevent the damaging consequences to them and
their children of being taken into care.
Alongside the life-changing outcomes for those on Pause, the
broader impact is an estimated £1 million of public money that has been saved
by Pause Slough through the avoidance of care costs that would have been
required had previously entrenched patterns continued.
“It has been an incredible and very successful year for
Pause Slough,” said Kath Hunt who leads Pause Slough. “The ethos of Pause from
the very start has been to do things differently and work in a way that meets
the specific needs of the women working with Pause, led by them. By doing so we
have been able to start to overcome some of the problems of the past, meet the
challenges of the present and build a better future.”
One of the women working with Pause Slough said: “Pause has
helped me through the worst days of my life. They have helped me build my
confidence in myself and get back to being me again. Without my Pause
practitioner and her amazing team, I really don’t know where I would be now.”
“In six months, I have watched my daughter grow in
confidence and she has a much more positive attitude which in turn has helped
strengthen our relationship too. I hope you have many more years in Slough,
continuing the amazing work you’re doing,” said the mother of another women
working with Pause Slough.
Pause Slough is part of a national Pause Programme that
currently operates in 20 local authority areas across England.
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T. 01753 690939
