Claire is a bright inquisitive Thirty-two-year-old women with so much potential and so much to give. Yet, she finds herself caught up in the child protection system following a referral to social services focused on the welfare of her children.
This is where the charity New Beginnings Foundation comes in. With a vision to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma, New Beginnings works closely with parents whose children are at risk of being removed into 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.”
Claire had been the victim of repeated childhood abuse.
New Beginnings provide a wraparound service that enables parents to understand how past traumatic events have affected their identity, their coping strategies and their parenting skills.
So where do Community Computers and Stockport’s DigiKnow initiative come in?
The core work of New Beginnings is a 24 week programme, one element of which involves an online weekly group session which has been designed to help parents understand why they parent in the way that they do and develop new skills which can help them progress and move forwards. Group work is facilitated by experienced therapeutic social work practitioners who are supported by peer mentors (parents who have been through the programme who want to support others).
Claire was ready, willing, and able to become a peer mentor, but the only device she had in her home was a smart phone, which wouldn’t support the functionality required to facilitate an online group session.
Matthew from New Beginnings contacted Community Computers and a suitable laptop was identified for Claire from a pool of ‘free’ devices made available through partnership working with the Stockport Council’s Digital Inclusion Team.
Several weeks after the donation of the laptop, Claire reports,
“The laptop itself has been great, I find it really easy to use and work my way around. I think the battery life is really good and the speaker is good quality too.
I have been able to engage and communicate better in Teams meetings and that has helped my confidence massively by not feeling left behind. It has also helped me to be able to complete online studies in half the time.
It has also had the same benefits for my children and helped ease my son’s anxiety’s around his GCSE revision as having the laptop has allowed him to be able to study and access everything he needs and also helping him with things like preparing his college application and a CV using the templates provided on the laptop.”
Matthew, Project Coordinator from New Beginnings Foundation notes that,
“Claire is doing so well and has even introduced a new element to the online group – a mindfulness moment with its acknowledgement of the importance of lifelong learning.
Community Computers is an amazing service. Our agency can’t afford to fund devices for people in desperate need of them, and so to partner with Community Computers enable us to make the difference that all aspire to.”
Adrian Nottingham, Business Development Manager, Community Computers notes that,
“Home life for Claire and the children has benefited so much from the support of the New Beginnings Foundation. Community Computers and Stockport Council’s Digital Inclusion Team are so pleased to be able to have a played a part in turning the tide for this family. We look forward to further partnering with New Beginnings in the future.”
