Patchworked Care: dialogues on motherhoods, recovery, and care proceedings

Patchworked Care is a research project that explores how interactive textiles can help facilitate difficult conversations about the experiences women have at intersections of being in addiction/recovery and involved in care proceedings. This event will make use of research outcomes from two phases of work: (1) creative workshops with women who are in recovery with experience of care proceedings; and (2) staff who support them.

The event is made up of three interactive activities, in which we invite attendees to interact with our creative research materials and to reflect on peoples' experiences.

Activity 1: exploring women's lived experience

Activity 2: crafting dialogues with professionals and carers

Activity 3: opportunities for supported accommodation

While this is an open event, we want to particulary encourage people who work in or have direct experience of the issues that are discussed on the day. While we will not be sharing individual stories in detail, quotes and experiences presented in the work may be triggering for some, especially in relation to addiction/recovery, care proceedings, family court, self-harm, abuse, and other interconnected issues.

Please be aware that the Cathedral is a historic building and therefore has uneven floor surfaces, so appropriate footwear is advised at the event.

This event is part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 6 - 15 November 2025. Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, with generous support from Research England, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information please see beinghumanfestival.org.

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Host or Publisher Design Feminisms Research Group