Victoria and Rachel both came to Trevi House in April

Women are allowed to take their children with them to Trevi House in Plymouth while they tackle their addictions to drugs or alcohol.

Victoria is 28 and the mother of three daughters, the youngest of whom is nine-months-old and is at Trevi House with her.

Rachel is 26 and has been involved in drugs and crime since the age of 11. Her son is 17-months-old. She entered a detox programme last year without her son but relapsed.

It took me nine months to get here and I'm here to look at lots of issues and to stay clean for the rest of my life.

I was smoking heroin and took crack cocaine. I self-detoxed before I came in and what you get here is support in a safe environment to address whatever it is brought you here in the first place.

I also realised I'm not the only one in this situation and at Trevi the staff are so understanding and so are the other girls.

I've got six to 12 months funding and if I've gained the confidence and tools to leave, I'll leave in October.

It's my long-term goal to get better and recover properly and have all my children back in my care. I'd also like to train as a counsellor and pass on what I've learned.

My eldest daughter is keen for me to do it even though she misses me and that's how we get through it, knowing there will be better days ahead for us all.

I was offered detox but I would have had to go without my child and I told the drug counsellors I didn't want to lose him.

Then I heard about Trevi, there are not many places that let you be there with a child.

When I did my detox it was heartbreaking because I didn't have him with me.

I've got six months funding but if I'm not ready to go I'll ask for more. But if I feel that I have the strength to leave and to stay drug free then I will.

There will still be a support network but I really don't want to leave here before I address everything that could lead me back to relapsing.

I don't ever want to be without my child, that would be the end of me.

I would just crumble and give up so I can't afford for that to happen.