REACH – Relate, Empower, Achieve, Compassion, Hope
REACH is a relational model of support for young women aged 16-21 as they transition out of care. The programme offers therapeutic, practical and behavioural support, tailored around each young woman’s needs.
Why REACH?
Recurrent removals are an intergenerational issue. Forty percent of women working with Pause are care experienced themselves. Our learning has shown that Pause has the greatest impact on young women and care-experienced women, and that the established core Pause programme could be used earlier – before women get caught in a cycle of repeat removals.
This is the aim of our REACH programme, which tests whether earlier relational support for care-experienced young women can break the intergenerational cycle of care experience and reduce the trauma associated with it.
What is REACH?
REACH is for young women aged 16-21, in particular those 10% of care-experienced young women who local authorities are most concerned about – many of whom are at risk of sexual exploitation and pregnancy.
The key element of the programme is the relationship between the woman and a skilled REACH practitioner. Each young woman works with her practitioner to focus and prioritise the goals she wants to achieve over the course of the programme; these are regularly reviewed and adapted accordingly. This approach helps set in place strong foundations for the women, enabling them to achieve positive outcomes for themselves.
What difference does REACH make?
By the end of the programme, we expect young women to be happier, healthier, safer and able to lead independent and fulfilled lives.
REACH is a pilot programme and we are currently evaluating its impact. Young women that have been part of the pilot report building strong, trusting relationships with their REACH practitioners and feel they are making meaningful progress. Many say they are better able to express and regulate their emotions – both with their practitioner and with other professionals. All describe making progress against the four outcome areas above. As the programme is tailored to young women’s needs, it looks different for each individual. However, by the end of the programme we expect to see that young women are happier, healthier, safer, and able to lead independent and fulfilled lives.
I have learnt to manage life better. I have my own tenancy, and I have made a home of it. I no longer go looking for fights and violence, I am a lot calmer. I haven’t been in trouble with the police… I have gained a positive and trusting relationship with a professional, and learnt that not all professionals are the same
