This is a text-only version of an article first published on Wednesday, 2 March 2016. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
READING based charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) is wishing a happy Mother's Day to all the mums it has supported this year through it's community projects. As well as being an independent adoption agency, PACT runs Alana House helping vulnerable women and Bounce Back 4 Kids (BB4K) helping families in West Berkshire and Oxfordshire affected by domestic abuse.
PACT has historic links with the Diocese of Oxford. One Mum helped by BB4K this year is Mandy (not her real name).
Three years ago, after going to a refuge as a victim of domestic abuse, Mandy's three sons were taken into foster care. Mandy worked hard with her social worker to turn her situation around and she and her youngest two sons were identified for a BB4K course.
A BB4K course takes 10 weeks and uses therapeutic techniques to help children and their non-abusing parent come to terms with family breakdown.
A children's course and a parent's course run simultaneously. Mandy's sons have been back living with her for six months now and they completed the course in January 2016.
She says: "Mother's Day this year will definitely, absolutely be different to previous years. ""I have definitely seen an improvement down to BB4K.
Their behaviour has improved, their emotional levels are down.
At home the boys have learnt tools for if they feel anxious; they take themselves off and breathe.
We have more understanding of each other. "You can help transform Mother's Day next year for a Mum affected by domestic abuse by volunteering to help with BB4K or making a donation towards its work.
Find out more by visiting http://pactcharity. org/community-projects/bounce-back-4-kids *