Routes to RecoveRy
Stronger together
Keeping mothers with their children is at the heart of Trevi House’s
successful outcomes and the reason why they believe passionately
in the benefits of gender-responsive care, says Hannah Shead
2018 WAS THE YEAR OF THE ‘ME TOO’
MOVEMENT. It also marked 100 years
since women’s suffrage, and it gave us
the publication of the Female Offender
Strategy. Many of us working in this
sector have long recognised the
distinctive and specific needs of
women – however last year this
seemed to reach, and strike a chord
with, a wider audience.
There are many reasons why one
may seek gender responsive residential
care, especially when considering the
needs of a woman who has
experienced sexual or domestic
violence. Creating an environment that
is physically and emotionally safe is
paramount when working with
women recovering from trauma, and
an effective step towards achieving
this is women-only provision.
There are numerous barriers that
people in the chaos of addiction face
when considering residential rehab.
30 | drinkanddrugsnews | Rehab Guide 2019
There are some that are specific to
women, and one that can be a
particular challenge is children.
Many mothers are scared of
disclosing the true extent of their drug
use for fear of reprisals from children’s
social care. Yet, the irony is that
without making the disclosure and
seeking help, things can escalate to
crisis point and lead to a child being
removed.
Women may also have the practical
elements of motherhood to consider:
‘Who will look after my son if I go into
rehab?’; ‘How will I be able to focus on
my recovery if I’m worried about my
daughter?’; ‘My son has never been
looked after by anyone else, how would
he cope without me putting him to
bed every night?’; ‘Who will take my
children to school?’ The prospect of up
to 12 weeks separation from a child is
overwhelming, and can act as the
ultimate deterrent to recovery.
As one of last units of its kind, Trevi
House admits mothers with their
children. Children are cared for in the
specialist onsite nursery while
mothers engage in the full therapeutic
programme. We can see in their
outcomes what can be achieved when
a mother and her child are given that
unique opportunity to remain
together. Ninety-five per cent of
women successfully complete their
detox from methadone or
buprenorphine – a statistic that
reflects the motivational power
offered when a mother has her child in
her care.
When we consider the specific
needs of our clients, whether they be
men or women, mothers or fathers, it
is perhaps worth considering that
some of their perceived barriers to
treatment can not only be removed
but in fact used as a way of helping
them to reach their treatment goals.
Many mothers are
scared of disclosing
the true extent of
their drug use... Yet,
the irony is that
without making the
disclosure and
seeking help, things
can escalate to crisis
point and lead to a
child being removed.
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com