Freya suffered abuse and had her two children taken into care. But, through the support of the One YMCA team, she’s now enjoying looking after her new baby and is planning a bright future for them both
Freya has a history of mental health issues and has learning difficulties. She lived for many years in an abusive relationship and during this time her two children were taken away from her due to physical abuse and neglect.
When Freya left her abuser, she initially isolated herself from others. She was pregnant and still grieving the loss of her two children. Initially she wanted to terminate the unplanned pregnancy, seeking an abortion at 24 weeks, but decided to keep the child, which was placed on a Child Protection Plan.
When investigating Freya’s case, Children’s Services found that it was a lack of motivation and choice that had had a negative impact on her parenting ability, as opposed to a cognitive issue. They also found that a lack of engagement with professionals had led to some of the issues. That was where the YMCA family support team came in.
The difference it’s made
- Layla is now six months old and thriving. She is still being cared for by Freya and they have a very positive relationship.
- Freya is meeting Layla’s physical and emotional needs, putting into practice everything she’s learnt.
- The Child Protection Plan has been stepped down to a Child in Need (CIN) Plan.
- Freya is now taking part in universal groups and has built a relationship with the staff there.
- Freya feels very positive and is able to deal with difficult situations better using the strategies she has learnt.
How we Helped
- The Family Support Worker provided My Baby’s Brain sessions at home.
- Recommended Freya complete the Parental Emotional Wellbeing package.
- Made adaptations to support Freya’s learning needs, for example providing extra visual aids, using simple language and checking understanding.
- Freya and her baby Layla attended our Baby Sing and Play sessions and the Introduction to Solids course.
