For many women, arriving at a refuge means stepping into safety for the very first time. Imagine arriving with nothing but the clothes on your back and your children beside you — frightened, exhausted and unsure of what the future holds.
At Pathway Project Staffordshire, the aim is to ensure that when a woman walks through the door, she is met not with fear, but with warmth, hope and the beginning of healing.
The team provides gentle, consistent support to mums who may feel they have “failed” their children, helping them rebuild confidence and rediscover their strength. As part of this journey, children are supported to settle into new schools and access the assessments and care they need.
National evidence shows that children who have lived in refuge can face lower educational attainment, increased anxiety and behavioural challenges compared to their peers. In response, Pathway Project knew more could be done to support families during this critical time.
A Powerful Partnership
Working alongside local Soroptimists and Refuge in Literacy, Pathway Project launched an innovative programme designed to give mums simple, confidence-building tools to support their children’s reading from birth.
These small, everyday literacy routines help rebuild connection — creating moments of closeness, comfort and stability, while supporting children’s development.
Local Soroptimists played a vital role, offering dedicated volunteers who worked one-to-one with women in refuge. Their time, encouragement and compassion made a meaningful difference.
Polly and Oliver’s Story: A Transformation Filled with Hope
Polly arrived at refuge with her two young children after experiencing years of physical, emotional and financial abuse. Her son Oliver, aged eight, was struggling with overwhelming emotions and challenging behaviour linked to the trauma he had witnessed.
School assessments showed Oliver’s reading age was six — news that left Polly feeling devastated and believing she had let him down.
With support from Pathway Project and a Soroptimist volunteer, Louie, Polly began to introduce simple, positive reading routines into daily life. Louie helped rebuild Polly’s confidence and encouraged new ways to engage Oliver — despite his initial reluctance and claims that he was “allergic to books”.
Over time, Polly persevered and Oliver began to respond.
Six months later, Oliver’s reading age had increased from six to ten — a remarkable four-year improvement.
The transformation was significant. Polly’s confidence grew, Oliver’s love of reading developed, and their relationship strengthened through shared, positive experiences.
This project has not only supported Oliver’s education, but also helped shape a more positive future for both mother and child.
How You Can Help
Make a donation
Support helps provide book parcels and tokens so children can choose their own books and continue developing a love of reading.
Become a volunteer
By giving a few hours of your time, you could support a mum in rebuilding her confidence and strengthening her bond with her child.
Become a Partner
Book stores can help to extend the reach of this great project.
Together, we can create warm, safe, hopeful futures — one story at a time.
To find out more, email: talktoeve@pathway-project.co.uk
