Agenda item

The Panel received an update report on the Pause Programme Durham presented by the Strategic Manager, Children and Families, East (for copy of report and presentation see file). 

The Strategic Manager explained the background to the Pause Programme Durham, having been established in 2021 in order to reduce the number of children being taken into care and improve the lives of women who have had one or more children permanently removed from their care

The Strategic Manager explained that Pause was unique in targeting adults who have had engagement with Children’s Social Care as mothers but were no longer eligible for support due to their children being permanently removed from their care.

It was explained that the programme was delivered with each woman over a period of 18 months is flexible and delivered at the correct pace for each woman.

The Panel noted the original Pause Programme in the east of the county, operated by Barnardo’s, with the programme moving in-house following award of match funding from the Department for Education (DfE).

Councillor B Kellett left the meeting at 10.14am

The Strategic Manager explained that of the previous cohort of 22 women worked with by Pause Durham, there had been a total of 83 children removed from their care, with the woman being aged between 22 to 40 years old.  It was noted that 38 percent of the women were care experienced.  Feedback from the women had highlighted a number of positives including that they had grown in their confidence and now had access to sexual health services, domestic abuse services, housing and education.  The Strategic Manager explained that none of the women had had any further pregnancies during, or following intervention, and one woman had had her two children returned to her care.

The Strategic Manager noted that for the current cohort, Pause Durham were working with 21 women in total, 11 who were fully on the programme.  She explained that 11 women had a total of 33 children removed from their care, with 73 percent of the women being care experienced.  It was noted that the main areas of need for those women were mental health, domestic abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, learning needs and homelessness.  The Panel were shown a graduation video with women providing their experience of the Pause Programme. 

Councillor A Reed noted that positive impact of the programme was a fantastic thing for those women and their children and thanked all involved for their work.

The Vice-Chair noted that the positive impact was great and asked as regards any changes in the numbers within cohorts between when the programme was operated by Barnardo’s and when it was brought in-house.  The Strategic Manager said this would be difficult as it was now operating as a rolling programme, with intake being based upon need. 

Councillor S Townsend gave an example of a women who had been successful in keeping her child, which had been transformative for her and her child, however, that had been the beginning of another set of challenges, including the stigma unfortunately still attached to those women, issues with childcare providers, ex-partners, and she asked what the Council could do in the longer-term in such cases.  The Head of Children's Social Care noted that it would be different for each individual case, however, if an assessment had deemed that it was safe for a child to return to a parent, support would continue to ensure this was sustainable.

Resolved:

That the content of the report and presentation be noted.