HER Circle

THE OBJECT OF THE CIO, TO BE CARRIED OUT FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT IN ENGLAND, IS:TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF, AND RELIEVE THE NEEDS OF, WOMEN EXPERIENCING ‘COMPLEX MOTHERHOOD’ AND WOMEN WHO ARE RECOVERING FROM TRAUMA AND ABUSE RELATED TO THEIR OWN MOTHERS’ EXPERIENCE OF ‘COMPLEX MOTHERHOOD’ AND THE IMPACT THAT MAY HAVE HAD ON THEM, IN PARTICULAR BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY BY:A) PROVIDING PRACTICAL ADVICE, INFORMATION, ACTIVITIES, COURSES, SUPPORT NETWORKS, ADVOCACY AND PEER SUPPORT SESSIONS TO WOMEN IN NEED;B) RAISING AWARENESS AMONGST LEGAL, MEDICAL AND SOCIAL CARE PROFESSIONALS WITH THE AIM OF CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROVISION OF MORE INFORMED, COMPASSIONATE, AND EFFECTIVE SERVICES AND POLICIES WHICH IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCES AND OUTCOMES OF WOMEN IN NEED;C) PROMOTING RESEARCH, THE USEFUL RESULTS OF WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED, DESIGNED TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING OF ‘COMPLEX MOTHERHOOD’ AND THE ISSUES IT GIVES RISE TO;D) EMPHASISING THE IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN’S LIVED EXPERIENCE TO ENSURE THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE DESIGN OF SERVICES AND POLICY.FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CLAUSE, ‘COMPLEX MOTHERHOOD’ MEANS THE EXPERIENCE OF MOTHERING WHILST MANAGING MULTIPLE CHALLENGES SUCH AS HOMELESSNESS, POOR MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE MISUSE, SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, DOMESTIC ABUSE, TRAUMA, POVERTY, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE OR CARE SYSTEMS AND THE RESULTANT TRAUMA.