The Pause Programme works with women who have experienced, or are at risk of, repeated pregnancies.

It aims to give women the opportunity to pause and take control of their lives, breaking a destructive cycle that causes both them and their children deep trauma. It supports them to develop new skills and responses that can help them create a more positive future.

Cllr Andrew Parry, portfolio holder for Children, Education, Skills and Early Help, said: “No one wants to see children being taken away from their mother, far from it; we do all we can to support families to stay together.

“We’ve seen the results of the Pause Programme from other areas and it is clear it works so I am hopeful that it will help to keep Dorset children with their mothers in future, which will also help improve outcomes for those children.”

Children who are removed into care are more likely to experience poorer educational results; higher rates of criminality; sexual/criminal exploitation; substance misuse; suicide; poor mental health and become parents at a younger age and repeat the cycles of children into care.

The Pause Programme is delivered by Pause Practices, which are partnerships with local authorities or voluntary sector organisations and are supported by the Pause national team. A standard Pause Practice supports up to 24 women at one time.

Toby Mallowan, head of Homelessness, Health & Wellbeing, BCHA, said: “BCHA is very excited to have been awarded the Pause Project for Dorset. We are committed to supporting communities across Dorset and this project helps us focus on mothers who have experienced, and are living with, trauma.”

The Pause Programme in Dorset will officially launch in early 2023. For more information on the programme visit pause.org.uk