BHWR's Recent Activity

"St Mungo's Birkenhead Hostel held a Women's Fair on 5th December 2012. This was an opportunity for residents to meet local women's services, access acupuncture and other therapies, and contribute their views on issues that affect women. A summary of their comments on children and family are below: Support • ‘I am in contact with my daughter and grandchildren and am supported with this by both Women@theWell and the staff at Birkenhead Street Hostel.’ • ‘More women’s groups and organisations are needed to discuss problems related to children, also women only counsellors and one to one.’ • ‘Children under 16 are not allowed in my hostel and I think that is for the best because of the drug and alcohol use. Women should be supported to go and meet their children elsewhere. Some can’t afford the travel fares to go and visit children or family. They need support to budget and save up money rather than spend all of it on drugs or alcohol.’ Social Services • ‘With Social Services, women should be treated better than they are now, they need more support.’ • ‘Most of the time women with children in care are looked at as bad mothers. I know someone whose kids have gone into care and it was her partner’s fault, he was drinking and they were taken because of him. It is often the man’s fault not the woman’s, and she is the one who gets judged.’ • ‘It would be better if more women had a chance to go to rehab and when they come out see their child and be reconnected. Instead often the child has already been adopted.’ Bereavement • ‘Loads of women don’t hold it together if they lose their children. They need more support and an opportunity to talk about it.’ • ‘Bereavement counsellors should be more available to women. My father passed away and I have never been to see a bereavement counsellor.’"
Reply To: Children and families: improving support