Dundee will become the first city in Scotland to launch the Pause initiative.
The scheme operates in many parts of England and provides parents who have had several children taken into care with counselling – but only if they are willing to accept long-term contraception.
The scheme has been criticised by some who say it infringes upon reproductive rights and is akin to conditional welfare or even forced contraception.
Its founder Sophie Humphreys says the scheme creates space for mothers caught in a cycle of consistent social work intervention to regain control.
However, one with concerns is feminist social commentator Caitlin Logan, who questioned: “But how meaningful is that ‘control’ if it has been brought about by incentivising women to make a particular decision about their reproductive health?”
Caitlin fears it may set a poor precedent and said to me: “If we open the door to this, where does that end?”
Over a five-year period, 341 children were removed from families in Dundee, foster care organisations are struggling and a report by Dundee City Council stated it could save up to £1.6 million by deterring children from entering the care system.
With both female friends who foster and others who could be eligible for the scheme, I am torn as to whether or not this level of intervention is really a price worth paying.
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