BBC Documentaries

Child in Mind (2017x254)

Air date: Oct 01, 2017

Every year in Britain an estimated 3,000 plus children are placed into the care system. Their mothers - who have often suffered domestic violence, sexual abuse or neglect themselves - are left behind. Vilified, isolated and ignored, they form an invisible group living on the edge of society. This film gives them a voice for the first time, combining extraordinary documentary footage with poetry written by Simon Armitage. Set in Hull, as the city celebrates European Capital of Culture status, the film uses poetry to offer an arresting and emotionally charged portrait of the women's lives. The women featured are all participants of a groundbreaking new scheme called Pause, which aims to break the cycle of repeat care removals. Over the course of 18 months the women work one-on-one with a dedicated Pause practitioner who helps them reclaim their lives. "I lost my children because I was with a violent and controlling partner" says Lyndsey, an articulate and outspoken mother-of-four. When she started working with her practitioner, Lesley, she had many dark days when she wouldn't go out. Over time, they rebuilt her confidence and Lyndsey now works as a carer for the elderly and disabled. It is, it seems, a job she performs with distinction. "Lyndsey is one of the nicest, most caring people you could possibly hope to meet", says David, one of her clients. The women's stories provide a rich palette from which poet Simon Armitage can draw. Professor of poetry at Oxford University and one of the nation's most decorated poets, he was once a probation officer for ten years, an experience that has helped him to understand the lives of those who are denied a voice. Simon wrote the poems by listening to the audio of the interviews, which helped him to write to the lexicon of each woman. Pause was co-founded by Sophie Humphreys, who witnessed first-hand the trauma and loss caused by repeat removals. "There is a care crisis in this country. The numbers of children