07 May, 2025
The For Baby’s Sake Trust, an innovative charity dedicated to breaking cycles of domestic abuse and giving babies the best start in life, has expanded their reach to the North East of England.
This strategic expansion represents a significant milestone in the organisation’s commitment to supporting families across England and is a direct response to rates of domestic abuse in the region. It has been reported by Health Equity North that the North East has the highest rates of domestic violence in England; 19 per 1,000 population compared to the England average of 11.
“I am delighted that For Baby’s Sake are to work in the North East of England. Their intensive therapeutic support in working with struggling families is really effective in breaking the cycle of domestic abuse and giving babies the opportunity of a good start in life. These interventions mean fewer children are taken into the care system, because families are more able to cope and raise children. I want to see more evidence based work, and local and central government more committed to sticking with this early intervention for longer. The cost of not doing so is evident to children and to the taxpayer.”
The launch of For Baby’s Sake in County Durham and Darlington has been made possible by donations from The Kering Foundation, The Hollyhock Foundation, The Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust and The Rothley Trust. The For Baby’s Sake Trust extends its heartfelt gratitude to the funders whose generous support has enabled the expansion of its pioneering For Baby’s Sake programme. Their commitment to breaking the cycle of domestic abuse and improving outcomes for babies and families has been instrumental in allowing the programme to reach more parents and communities.
“Over the course of our 15 years of action to end gender-based violence, we have learned that protecting and caring for children is essential in preventing violence in adulthood. By supporting the expansion of For Baby's Sake, we aim to equip more families with the skills to cultivate healthy relationships in order to break the cycle of domestic abuse.”
The For Baby’s Sake Trust developed For Baby’s Sake to support expectant or new parents experiencing domestic abuse from pregnancy until their baby is two. Now in its 10th year of delivery across England, the programme galvanises the critical window of opportunity during pregnancy and early parenthood to support families experience domestic abuse. For Baby’s Sake will launch first in County Durham and Darlington, with an eye to expand across the North East where funding and capacity allows.
The new North East team will bring the Trust’s therapeutic, trauma-informed programme directly to families in the region, offering comprehensive support that addresses the complex needs of parents and their babies. The programme uniquely works with both parents, supporting those experiencing abuse and those causing harm, with the goal of creating safe, nurturing family environments. For Baby’s Sake takes a particularly innovative approach to working with fathers, addressing the current crisis in men’s mental health through modules like The Boy Code exploring expectations around masculinity. And, in light of the government’s commitment to halve rates of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) within a decade, programmes like For Baby’s Sake have never been more necessary.
"We are thrilled to be embedding For Baby’s Sake across the North East. Our team are from the region and are passionate about making a tangible difference in the lives of local parents and babies. We are looking forward to growing our relationships with local agencies to deliver For Baby’s Sake to families in County Durham and Darlington and contributing to existing efforts to combat rising levels of domestic abuse and violence."
Thanks to vital seed funding from The Kering Foundation, The Hollyhock Foundation, The Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust and The Rothley Trust, The For Baby’s Sake Trust can expand its work to families in the North East of England, supporting parents to create safe, nurturing environments for their children, ensuring that more babies have the best possible start in life. This expansion marks a significant step forward in transforming lives and building a future where every baby can thrive.
This expansion is launched during The For Baby’s Sake Trust’s 10th anniversary year, marking a significant milestone in the organisation’s journey. Over the past decade, the Trust has achieved transformative results by supporting thousands of parents to break intergenerational cycles of domestic abuse, creating brighter futures for their babies. However, much work remains to be done to address the pervasive impact of domestic abuse on babies and children. The Trust views this anniversary as an opportunity to both celebrate progress and share its goal for every family in the UK to have access to support to break cycles of domestic abuse and give their babies the best start in life.
