This paper reviews the impact of childhood sexual abuse on a woman’s parenting capacity in adulthood. It summarises the research literature on the issues of mental health, intimate partner violence, substance abuse and homelessness on parenting and motherhood – highlighting how a mother’s history of childhood sexual abuse often underpins many of the complex and overlapping issues that lead to compromised parenting capacities. In conclusion, the paper notes how a trauma-informed perspective can improve system responses to women and their children.