A charity has been given a £5 million grant to help fund a project that prevents women's imprisonment and maternal separation.

One Small Thing, which aims to redesign the justice system for women and their children, was given the grant by the Julia Rausing Trust.

The money will help fund the charity's Hope Street project in Southampton, which is a residential alternative to custody for women and their children.

The project was co-designed with the help of partners from the justice system, community partners, and women with lived experience.

It is the first purpose-built, county-wide residential network specifically designed for women.

The project prevents women's imprisonment and maternal separation by allowing children to stay with their mothers in a safe environment with tailored and ongoing support.

The funding will also help the charity to explore opportunities to replicate the model in other areas of England and Wales.

Claire Hubberstey, CEO of One Small Thing, said: "None of our achievements to date would have been possible without the invaluable support of Julia Rausing and her husband Hans.

"Her support has already delivered a huge impact in helping us to achieve our core aims of reducing women’s imprisonment and preventing maternal separation.

"We are now in a position to scale our work and deliver much-needed change.

"We are delighted that the Julia Rausing Trust, set up in her name, continues to believe that our work can create transformational change for women in contact with the justice system."

Simon Fourmy, director of the Julia Rausing Trust, said: "Julia Rausing understood that women caught up in the criminal justice system face specific challenges.

"She therefore saw the importance of One Small Thing’s aim of preventing the unnecessary imprisonment of women and resulting separation from their children.

"The Hope Street residential project shows that there is another way, providing a safe alternative to prison where women can recover from trauma and maintain familial relationships.

"Today’s grant builds on Julia’s previous support and will underpin Hope Street over the coming years as the charity seeks to scale their work and deliver change across the country."