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Telford STaRS - supporting women experiencing addiction

Who’s behind this work: Willowdene & Telford STaRS

At the heart of this transformative work is Willowdene Rehabilitation, a pioneering organisation delivering innovative and evidence-led solutions. They support people experiencing addiction, homelessness, poor mental health, offending behaviour and general disconnection from the community. Based on a working farm in Shropshire, Willowdene offers hands-on vocational training alongside therapeutic interventions.

Willowdene is part of the partnership Telford STaRS, which combines three organisations who are members of the Addictions Provider Alliance (APA). Telford STaRS is a collaboration between Inclusion, Aquarius and Willowdene. The women’s-specific work began formally in 2022, building on a whole system approach developed by Willowdene in 2017. This model is now at the centre of Telford’s gender-responsive offer.

What services does Telford STaRS offer?

Telford STaRS has been a successful and evolving partnership since 2018, but 2024 marked a significant turning point: a full commitment to gender-specific interventions for women, powered by Willowdene’s whole system approach.

In the past 12 months, the service has:

  • Fully adopted the whole system approach for women in Telford.

  • All staff are currently being trained in trauma-informed practice.

  • Ensured same-gender workers are assigned at referral.

  • Delivered targeted, women-specific support across the caseload.

  • Introduced gender-specific ATR (Alcohol treatment requirement) and DRR (Drug rehabilitation requirement) provision.

  • Run women’s peer recovery groups and psychosocial interventions in both the community and at Willowdene Rehabilitation.

  • Provided dedicated pathways to specialist support like LINC – Willowdene Rehabilitation

  • Offered diversionary Out of Court Resolution options.

  • Embedded a dedicated female practitioner into criminal justice pathways.

  • Co-located a CRS (Community recovery service) provider for women’s services within the team.

  • Secured direct access to Willowdene’s Residential Women’s Centre.

  • Built formal links with women’s prisons for “through the gate” support.

  • Offered wraparound family support through a dedicated family assessment centre.

Following the success of Willowdene’s gender-specific approach, Telford STaRS continues to expand the care it has on offer.

The impact of Telford STaRS services

The 2023-2024 adult substance misuse report states that nationally just 2% of individuals in drug and alcohol treatment accessed residential rehabilitation. Telford STaRS is exceeding that by a wide margin, with an estimated 3.5% of women in treatment moving into structured treatment in residential rehabilitation. This shows how Telford STaRS are setting a leading example by providing effective residential rehabilitation which focuses on gender-specific techniques. 

An often-overlooked reality of women referred to out-of-court resolutions is the broader impact on their families. Around 70% of these women are mothers, affecting the lives of at least 268 children. For many, the journey is even more complex - 31% have social services involvement, and 62% are victims of domestic or sexual violence.

This is where services like Willowdene’s Family Assessment Centre are vital. By supporting mothers to maintain meaningful family relationships, the centre provides stability not only for the women but for their children.

Willowdene Rehabilitation Centre is proud to deliver impactful, person-centred interventions that support women on their journey to recovery and rehabilitation. These outcomes demonstrate the strength of their work:

  • 87% of women successfully completed their Drug Rehabilitation Requirements (DRRs) and Alcohol Treatment Requirements (ATRs)

  • 89% of women completing the Mental Health and Well-being provision finished treatment successfully

  • 3.5% of women in treatment progressed to residential rehab—nearly double the national average

  • In residential rehab:

    • 91% of women gained qualifications

    • 64% successfully completed the full residential rehab programme



Want to learn more?

Whether you're a commissioner, practitioner, or community partner, we invite you to connect with the Telford STaRS team and learn more about how this partnership is transforming women’s lives.

Visit https://www.telfordstars.org/  to find out more about the Telford STaRS partnership and Willowdene’s women’s whole system approach.


 
 
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