Coventry and Warwickshire recovery campaigners shortlisted for award
Coventry and Warwickshire parents are in the running for a regional award after using their recovery journeys to drive change
A group of parents from Coventry and Warwickshire who overcame addiction and rebuilt their families have been shortlisted for a major regional award after using their experiences to help influence national legal policy.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) parent graduates have been named finalists in the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner’s Outstanding Campaign Award.
Having successfully navigated recovery and fought to be reunited with their children, the parents are now using their lived experience to inform policy, professional practice and academic research at both regional and national levels.
The graduates work as Parent Associates with the Centre for Justice Innovation, taking a message of compassion, consistency and long-term support for families affected by trauma directly to decision-makers and senior leaders.
Their work has included sharing personal experiences with senior figures from the judiciary, social care services and CAFCASS to help improve understanding of the challenges families face during care proceedings.
The group has also contributed to national research projects examining fathers' experiences of care proceedings, helping academics and professionals gain a deeper understanding of the issues involved.
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster praised the group’s achievements: “These finalists show the extraordinary power of campaigning to make a real difference.
“They have turned incredibly difficult personal experiences into a force for positive action and change, helping to improve outcomes for others facing similar challenges.”