Pause Bristol launched in June 2017 to work with women in the city who have had two or more children removed from their care. The 18-month pilot programme will work with 20 women using an innovative and proven model of care, which supports women to break the devastating cycle of having their children removed.
Pause Bristol’s most recent internal report found that, between 2012 and 2017, there were at least 127 women in Bristol who had had a combined total of 414 children removed from their care.
The multi-agency scoping report on which the programme’s launch in June 2017 was based, found that Pause Bristol could save the taxpayer more than £140,000 over 18 months. Between 2010 and 2015, 88 women had a collective total of 301 children removed from their care (an average of at least three each). This cost figure is conservative; it does not include saved costs to the NHS, public health, housing, adult social care or other agencies.
The issues affecting women who will use Pause Bristol are complex: domestic and/or sexual violence; childhood trauma; learning difficulties; being care leavers themselves; mental health issues; addiction; and/or having a history of offending.
The service has not been set-up to deal solely with sex workers, the person may have suffered domestic and/or sexual violence; childhood trauma; learning difficulties; being care leavers themselves; mental health issues; addiction; and/or having a history of offending. Places are limited and by referral only.