No judgment, just support

Click one of the buttons at the top of the page – Text, Call, or Message – quoting PPS to make a referral to the programme. Or, fill out our referral form below.

About

There is a lack of help for women and their children whilst women are in prison and following their release. People in difficult situations should have all the help they need to turn their lives around. But for professionals with a duty of care towards them, it can feel overwhelming trying to support them through this.

That’s where we can help.

Life is a UK charity for women facing unexpected pregnancy and other pregnancy-related issues. Helping tens of thousands of women and families every year means we get how difficult their situations can be.

Funded by the National Lottery Community Fund, Life’s Pregnancy & Parenting Support (PPS) Programme gives the women you’re supporting access to our full suite of emotional and practical help, including counselling and skilled listening, life skills training, and supported accommodation.

How it works

1. Contact us by Text, Email, or Call, quoting PPS.
2. We’ll work with you to create a tailored programme for the women you’re supporting.
3. Together, we’ll help the women you’re supporting on their rehabilitation journey.

Want to make a referral to PPS? Click one of the buttons at the top of the page and quote PPS. Or, fill out our referral form below.

Referral form

Make a referral

How we help

Who does the Pregnancy & Parenting Support (PPS) Programme help?

PPS helps women in the justice system facing pregnancy, pregnancy loss (abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, or children taken into care), or early motherhood at HMP Drake Hall, HMP Foston Hall, or recently released and living in the West Midlands or Staffordshire.

We can help if the woman you’re supporting is:

• On remand, serving a sentence, or recently released from prison
• Needing access to pregnancy testing or healthcare bespoke to their pregnancy in prison
• Requiring training, qualification, or employment support
• Wanting to participate in parenting programmes
• In need of counselling
• Needing housing assistance on release
• Pregnant or experiencing pregnancy loss
• Separated from their children under five years old

And we also help the professionals supporting them – you can feel assured you’re getting the best help for the women you’re supporting, and have us and our services on hand as you navigate difficult and complex situations

What services does Life provide?

We’ll work with you to devise a tailored programme for the women you’re supporting. Our services include:

• Pregnancy counselling: Giving a safe space for a women to process her pregnancy without pressure
• Post-pregnancy-loss counselling: Giving a non-judgmental space for women who’ve experienced reproductive loss to work through their feelings and thoughts
• Pregnancy support: Helping women navigate their pregnancy and beyond
• Housing: Sheltering a pregnant woman or young mother, with support from trained workers
• Parenting support: Helping a new mother gain crucial life skills like finance, relationships, mental health, and caring for her baby, and giving her free mum and baby supplies
• Family counselling and emotional support: Helping mothers to maintain and/or strengthen the bonds with their children and families during or after separation
• Employment support: Online training and education to increase employability

What is Life’s approach?

Our approach is holistic, giving emotional and practical pregnancy support from the earliest stages right to when the child is five years old.

Our services operate by the Trauma-Informed Approach. This approach improves outcomes for new mothers by improving whole-person health, which is essential for dealing with the transitions of pregnancy or the difficulties or pregnancy loss.

We’re proud recipients of the Trusted Charity Standard in recognition of our excellence as one of the UK’s leading pregnancy support charities. Also:

• We are an associate member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and adhere to their ethical guidelines. This includes that our counselling and skilled listening service is person-centred – non-judgmental, does not tell clients what to do, and allows clients to make their own decisions.
• Alongside 350 other organisations, we are members of the Helplines Partnership (the membership body for helpline organisations) and their Helpline Freephone Range.
• Our services are for anyone facing any kind of pregnancy-related issue, including those considering an abortion or who have had abortion or other reproductive loss, including miscarriage or stillbirth. We are also a member of the Baby Loss Awareness Alliance, an alliance of 120+ UK charities and organisations working to increase support for pregnancy loss. Its working group members include Sands, Bliss, the Miscarriage Association, and Tommy’s.

What are the aims and benefits of the PPS Programme?

For clients, the programme aims to help:

• Lower chance of re-offending
• Feel empowered to access healthcare for her needs
• Increase employment prospects
• Lower chance of using illegal substances
• Come to terms with trauma in their lives
• Learn fundamental parenting skills
• Find independent, long-term housing

How do I get in touch or make a referral?

Just tap the buttons at the top of this page – Call, Text, or Email – to start the conversation with us. We look forward to working with you!

In partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund