In this podcast, Jadwiga Leigh, the founder of New Beginnings, talks to Sylvia (not her real name), a parent she met in 2018 when she had just started New Beginnings. At the time, Sylvia’s children were subject to child protection under the category of neglect and the reason why Sylvia’s social worker thought she would benefit from the New Beginnings' trauma informed programme was because Sylvia had been a victim of domestic abuse for many years. 

Sylvia had also lost her eldest son to suicide. 

In an attempt to numb her pain, Sylvia used illicit substances and although Sylvia openly disclosed she was a cannabis user what she never admitted was that she was also addicted to amphetamine. It was her addiction to amphetamine that ultimately led to her children being accommodated into foster care in 2020. 

In this podcast we explore what it was like for Sylvia to go through the child protection system with a hidden addiction in the hope that we can help other parents, who are in a similar situation, break their silence and get the support that they need. We also wanted to record this podcast in the hope that we might be able to help social workers, and therapeutic practitioners, who are not drug and alcohol workers, better understand what kind of support they may be able to offer a parent who they think may have an addiction.

Sylvia's Story: Neglect, addiction, and the child protection system.

Our Post Programme Support Worker Clare Western explores the behind-the-scenes impact and application of Timelines. She speaks with Lisa Wyche our Programme Facilitator and the mastermind behind our adaptation of Timelines, what they are, how they work and what impacts she's seen personally with our parents. We then switch over to four parents at different stages and methods of timeline execution and talk about the firm real-life impact, positivity and healing it has brought into their lives and the lives of their children.

"Janice" Is a mum whose journey and resultant reflection helped cement the importance of Timelines and how having a story explored in depth can sometimes lead to parents making sense of not just their lives and trauma, but the lives and trauma of their parents too.

"Monica" Is a mum who went against the grain with the timeline work and taught us that while getting the Timelines done in a structured manner is important, being rigid and inflexible is a part of the problem parents face in the child protection system already and sometimes guiding them forward and letting them lead is exactly what is needed to get their story told and told in a way they can process.

"Phoebe" is a mum who has recently completed her timeline. We speak to her about the experience involved in exploring over 13 years of trauma in one day and how she found the process worked best for her.

"Rachel" is a mum who is midway through her timeline and already starting to make sense of her journey, how she ended up where she is today and exactly what is needed for her and her children to heal for tomorrow.

All names are pseudonyms to protect the identity of our amazing parents at the New Beginnings Foundation.

We hope that this podcast is informative, inspiring and enjoyable and we look forward to helping our parents get their truths and the reality of their pain and struggles within the Child Protection System out there.

Navigating Timelines: A story of trauma, healing, resilience and hope.

Today, Clare sits down with Dr Jadwiga Leigh, the founder and CEO of the New Beginnings Foundation to discuss her life as a social worker with children and families in the child protection system.

We will learn how her practice as a statutory social worker led her to acquire an unfortunate office nickname 'The PPO Queen", and how it was this incident that encouraged Jadwiga to re-examine who she had become and what she could do to change her story...

A story that would ultimately lead her to starting a small community project in partnership in 2018 with Stockport Local Authority called, New Beginnings.

Join us on a journey that explores her past, the present and what hopes she has for the future.

The Story of the PPO Queen: From a spoiled identity to the founder of a community project.

Today, Clare sits down with our New Beginnings Programme Coordinator Matthew Purves to discuss Life Laundry. What is it, where the inspiration comes from and the effects he sees on our parents and how they come together to support each other every week. We then switch over to six of our amazing parents to ask them about their views and experiences of Life Laundry and what it's meant for them.

"Ivy" is a mum who is a regular attendee who has moved on through New Beginnings and Life Laundry to be a pillar of support to other.

"Leigh" is a new attendee who always brings her notepad to the session and is eager to learn as she navigates her journey of discovery and growth.

"Jade" is an attendee who despite having anxiety about appearing on the Podcast took her new fledgling confidence to exceed her own expectations and pass on wisdom

"Bella" is a long-standing attendee who originally struggled with the group makeup due to trust and trauma but who, through (sometimes hard) truth, learned to embrace sessions and, in turn, be a voice of wisdom herself.

"Ethel" is a mum who reflects on how Life Laundry has helped her at home with her kids and having patience for herself and others

The returning "Janice" was featured in our Timeline Podcasts and as a regular attendee at Life Laundry reflects on how the sessions help her manage her emotions and learn to forgive herself and others for the past.

All names are pseudonyms to protect the identity of our amazing parents at the New Beginnings Foundation.

We hope that this podcast is informative, inspiring and enjoyable and we look forward to helping our parents get their truths and the reality of their pain and struggles within the Child Protection System out there.

Life Laundry: How group therapy, peer support and lived experience mix well

At New Beginnings we work holistically with families who are known to Children’s Social Care. 

We have learned that parents who find themselves in the child protection system have most likely experienced prolonged episodes of trauma, such as physical, sexual and emotional abuse, often within the home, at some point in their lives. These traumatic events can lead to issues with mental ill health as well as drug and alcohol misuse. 
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We also recognise that becoming a parent is one of life's most complex challenges. Our aim, therefore, is to work closely with parents in the child protection process so that they can develop the strength, knowledge and power to become the parents they want to be and in return, teach other parents how to do the same.

Recently we decided to do a monthly podcast to bring our stories, battles, victories and lessons to others. We find that getting truths heard is incredibly healing and empowering and so this is our space to do that.