Danielle Gann

It's a Friday morning at Cool Mind Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre, Ashley House, and resident Danielle Gann is taking me on a little tour.

Does that mean you're doing the cooking?

OK, who's the best cook?

Me.

Today, she's all smiles.

But just a year ago, things for Danielle were very different.

Danielle is part of a growing cohort of women seeking treatment.

And like every other woman here at Ashley House, she's also a mother.

Anita Harrison is the Deputy Head of Services at Coolmine.

Ashley House offers gender-specific treatment to mothers in addiction and recovery.

But other than its sister facility in Limerick, it's the only mother and child residential treatment centre in the country.

There's only 10 mother and child apartments here, but other barriers keep addicted mothers from seeking treatment.

Edie started using drugs when she got back together with her children's father in her early 20s.

Eventually, Edie sought help from Tig Lynn.

And after successfully completing treatment there six years ago, she joined the team and now carries out assessments of other women in addiction.

Dr Colin O'Gara is Head of Addiction Services at St John of God Hospital in Dublin.

Along with impacting pathways to treatment, Colin says modern motherhood may exacerbate substance abuse too.

Danielle in Ashley House knows all about the pressures of motherhood.

Do you see Cool Mine and Ashley House specifically as a circuit breaker on that continuing into the next generation, the children that are here?

For Danielle and her kids, there's lots to look forward to in life after Ashley House.