Column: Supporting Mothers, Saving Futures: The Vital Work of Pause in West Sussex

Last week I met the team from the charity ‘Pause’. Under the leadership of County Councillor Jacquie Russell, Pause are working with West Sussex County Council to address a critical issue: the cycle of children being removed from their mothers' care and the devastating impact this has on both the families involved and the wider community.

Pause is a remarkable charity that works with women who have experienced the trauma of child removal. Their focus is on breaking the heartbreaking cycle where women, already facing immense disadvantages such as homelessness, mental health challenges, and domestic abuse, end up losing more than one child to care proceedings. Pause steps in at a crucial time — when these women are not pregnant, allowing them to focus on rebuilding their lives, healing, and breaking free from the cycle of repeat pregnancies and child removals.

It was particularly moving to learn about the difference Pause is making right here in West Sussex. I listened to recordings that women have made speaking about their lives before and after working with Pause. Since 2022, Pause West Sussex has worked with 63 women, each of whom had previously lost multiple children to the care system. Through their 18-month trauma-informed programme, these women have been able to turn their lives around, focusing on their physical and mental health, rebuilding relationships with their children, and securing stable housing. The impact of this work cannot be overstated — not only in terms of the lives it touches, but also the broader societal benefits of fewer children entering care.

However, challenges remain. There is an urgent need for more trauma-informed mental health services in our area, as well as affordable, stable housing. It is clear that further investment in these areas will not only support individual families but also save millions in the long term.

I am committed to supporting Pause’s goal that no family experiences the tragedy of child removal more than once, and I want to see Pause be able to continue to keep on changing lives here in West Sussex and across the country.