Donate a Doula

Each year I work to bring pro-bono doula support to a woman or birthing person in extremely complex circumstances who may not otherwise be able to access it, primarily women and girls with previous or current prison or criminal justice involvement and/or a history of complex trauma.

Why?

Trauma amongst women involved in the criminal justice system is significantly higher than that of the general population.¹ Nearly 60% of women in prison and serving sentences in the community have been victims of domestic violence as adults² and more than half report having experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse as a child³. Nearly a third of women in prison spent time in care as children.⁴

Pregnancy, birth and caring for a child are made inherently more complex in such circumstances, notwithstanding the additional barriers such as poverty, poor mental health and separation from their child that many women and girls also face.

A fifth of the women who died in pregnancy, birth or the year after birth between 2012 and 2014 were known to social care.⁵ Research also shows increased rates of premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth and neonatal unit admissions among women in custody ⁶ Research suggests that doula support can help to mitigate some of the negative effects of health inequalities like these for women and their babies.⁷

Pregnancy and birth is also a deeply sensitive and transformational experience. All birthing people deserve to be treated with diginity and respect. They deserve to understand what is happening to them and their babies, to feel safe and heard and to be placed at the centre of their care. This is the essence of the trauma-informed support that I provide to all of my clients, but which can prove absolutely vital to women and birthing people who have previously had choice and safety taken away from them through experiences of trauma and abuse. If you are interested in my other work on trauma-informed support for criminal justice affected women you can read my research paper here.

How?

I have a background in supporting women and girls within or at risk of entering the criminal justice system and who have experienced complex and ongoing trauma and abuse. I bring my skills in delivering person-centred and trauma informed care that is sensitive to individual needs to all of my clients. For clients in special circumstances I also bring my experience in navigating complex systems such as children’s social care, criminal justice systems like the police, prisons and probation.

I provide my support by accepting donations from families who have had the benefit of my support and understand it’s worth, as well as from compassionate individuals or companies who want to see women and birthing people supported through such a monumental life transition no matter the circumstances.

If you are a current client considering buying me a thank you gift, I would love for you to consider leaving a ‘tip’ to Donate a Doula instead.

If you are a company looking to create a partnership then please get in touch and we can chat about the many amazing ways that we can work together.