Princess Kate visits mother and baby unit in prison

Royal Family Channel

The Princess of Wales visited a women's prison in Cheshire, where she talked to inmates in a mother-and-baby unit. During the visit, Catherine also met with specialist staff supporting new mothers. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Transcript

00:00So we thought we'd just tell you a little bit about some of the work that we do and

00:20sort of our approach that we have here at the Children and Older Babies Unit. So we

00:24use something called the Solihull approach, which is very much how that links into trauma

00:28as well, because obviously many of our women are probably going to come into prison with

00:32some sort of trauma in their lives, whether that's from their own childhood or through

00:35their experiences that they've come across in their life. So Solihull approach is based

00:41around three things, containment, reciprocity and behaviour changes. So if we can contain

00:46the women in terms of support, all sort of holistic approach really that we put in for

00:51the women.

00:52So it's fantastic that this exists actually, because the data shows us how important attachment

00:59and bonding is for the social emotional development for very young babies, and the fact that you're

01:05able to do this right from the moment you've been pre-birth.

01:09Yes, absolutely. And it's for your caregivers, but their wider family as well I'm sure.

01:13Lisa's talked to you about our community experiences which are very much part of that process as

01:17well.

01:18And it's great that you're looking at the mother's wellbeing alongside it, because

01:23actually, whilst it's important to look at the baby's needs and focus on the baby

01:29actually, for that baby the best thing is to have a mother who is also equally well

01:36supported, particularly around their wellbeing and their own emotional needs, especially

01:39if they've experienced trauma.

01:41Yes, absolutely.

01:43How they're caring for their children, what their bonding's like, and identifying

01:47sort of where their needs need to be met and what kind of support that they need. Some

01:52of these mums are first-hand what's needed for them, so we're using those tools.

01:57And do you think some of this work, do you think more could be done in the communities

02:01before it reaches crisis point for a lot of these women?

02:04I think a lot, yes.

02:06Because a lot of these are skills and needs that women do need, and I always feel it's

02:13so frustrating actually that it gets to the point that they have to go into it. And you

02:17can see, because it's sort of a defined number of women, you can see them from pregnancy

02:24through to even just the two years.

02:26Absolutely.

02:27Here you can see and monitor and manage the outcomes here, and you know it works.

02:33Absolutely.

02:35That knowledge onto their children, and the course has been so well-received by women

02:40on this unit.

02:41Yes.

02:42Because for me as a child, it was so normalised.

02:45It was so normalised.

02:46So yes, it's a fantastic course.

02:49And that's the thing, so many women come in here vulnerable, having experienced their

02:54own vulnerable childhoods as well, so they won't necessarily understand their own acute

02:59needs, and actually being able to meet those as well as supporting their babies.

03:03In the same environment.

03:04Break the cycle.

03:05Yes.

03:06So it would normally be myself and Lisa that go out and make sure they've got everything

03:11they need.

03:12We make sure the year's positive as well.

03:13Yes.

03:14Because we know these children are leaving us in such a stronger place.

03:17Yes.

03:18Because they've got such intense support in the nursery.

03:20Lisa will have kind of shown you.

03:23Hence the need for these spaces in the community.

03:26Absolutely.

03:27Yes.

03:28The lovely ladies that actually wrote it, we work it as well for ladies in prison.

03:34So the ladies in prison, it's the same course.

03:37Fantastic.

03:38Good.

03:40Thank you very much.

03:41Very nice to meet all of you.

03:42Well done.

03:43Lisa will introduce you to our sorry past residents as well.

03:48Thank you very much.

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