Caitlin and her two children received support from BB4K

Caitlin* and her two children, Evie* and Luna*, were referred to PACT’s Bounce Back 4 Kids (BB4K) programme in 2025 by a social worker at West Berkshire Children’s Services, after leaving her ex-partner following domestic abuse. Caitlin was particularly worried about the emotional and psychological impact that witnessing some of the abuse may have had on her children, especially regarding their mental health and well-being. 

To begin with, Caitlin attended BB4K’s group for 3-5-year-olds with her daughter Luna. This 12‑week programme supports both parents and children, with each session starting in separate rooms before coming together at the end for shared activities. Caitlin then took part in one of BB4K’s regular groups with her eldest, Evie. 

The groups gave Evie and Luna a safe and supportive space to explore their feelings through play, child-focused activities and age-appropriate discussions, which helped them begin to understand and process what they had experienced.  

Caitlin said: “Both of my children absolutely adored coming to the BB4K programme. They would always skip in and genuinely looked forward to it every week, which said a lot about how safe and comfortable they felt in that environment.” 

Caitlin expressed that the parent sessions were equally valuable: “I gained practical strategies to support my children at home and rebuild my confidence as a parent.” 

From the start, the facilitators created a warm, non-judgemental space which helped Caitlin to feel listened to and understood. “Their patience and sensitivity made it easier to open up and engage with the sessions. They set clear boundaries, respected everyone’s pace and checked in regularly to make sure we were comfortable. This helped create a consistent and predictable environment, which was especially important given our past experiences.” 

Being around other parents and children with similar experiences helped Caitlin and her children to feel less alone. “There was a real sense of understanding and mutual support within the group, which built my confidence in connecting with others.”

Since beginning the programme, Caitlin has noticed positive changes in herself and her children. “Evie and Luna have learned different ways to express their emotions and are now more able to talk openly about how they feel, especially with trusted adults. I feel stronger as a parent, more healed and have a better understanding of my own emotions and my children’s needs. Spending dedicated time together through the programme and using the strategies at home has helped us feel closer as a family. There is more patience, understanding and reassurance in our relationship now, which has made a really positive difference to our day-to-day lives.” 

Caitlin, Evie and Luna have gained a range of practical tools and approaches that have helped their family feel safer and more connected. “We now use different ways of communicating to better understand each other’s emotions and needs. For example, one of my daughters can be quite insular and in the past I found it difficult to know how she was feeling or what she needed. Through the programme, I’ve learned different techniques to help bridge that gap, like a number scale to help her identify and share her mood, which has made it much easier for her to communicate in a way that feels comfortable.” 

After completing the groups, Caitlin has now been signposted by BB4K to other sources of support and resources, which Caitlin described as: “So helpful”.  

Caitlin has found the whole experience of BB4K to have been incredibly valuable and life-saving for her family. “A lot feels more possible than it did before and I feel hopeful about the future. I hope we continue to move forward as a family in a more positive, stable and connected way, where we feel secure, understood and able to face challenges together.” 

* Names changed for confidentiality