Using ‘The pregnant woman within the global context’ Moving towards meeting the health and

social needs of pregnant asylum seeking and refugee women in the voluntary sector

Rose McCarthy, Refugee Council, Leeds, UKMelanie Haith-Cooper, University of Bradford, UK

Dasha Pluto, Refugee Council, Leeds, UKJackie Ingham, Refugee Council, Leeds, UK

The Context

Who is Mel?Agenda for implementing PhD findings andpost doctoral research

Who are Rose, Dasha & Jackie?Volunteer health befriending network

The Pregnant Woman within the Global Context Model

Matched by cultural/ language background

Training examples

• Debriefing• Confidentiality• Boundaries• Listening skills• Empowerment • Asylum process• Dispelling myths• Difference in health

services between countries

• FGM• Mental health• Domestic violence• Social support• HIVListening,

supporting, signposting and accompanying

Volunteers, mainly AS&R mothers offer peer support

Meeting the needs through the Health Befriending Network

Peer support meetings

Relating the principles of the model to training

Jackie’s story

Impact on domestic abuse

• Model illustrates sources of stress for a couple• Nearly 50% of the women being supported by

befrienders had been through or were currently victims of domestic abuse

• Specialist services provided training• Women referred to support groups and safe houses

Impact on access to services

Dasha’s story

Impact on mental health

• Mental health training by experts• Collaboration with the experts • Sharing stories at peer support meetings• Learning from stories and how to refer for

counselling

“When I came here I was

depressed and she really helped

me. She took me to a counsellor

and made me feel myself” client

Impact on midwifery education Student “Of all of the sessions I have partaken

in so far in my midwifery training, this one left the

biggest impression on me. I will never forget the

journeys of the women we were lucky enough to

be in the company of, or wiping away tears as

unimaginable experiences were recited (with

laughter and smiles!) by figures of utter strength

and determination.  I left the session feeling awe

for those who can find the strength required to

carry on through such desperate times, and

determination to never again show allegiance to

a system which only serves to prolong them.”

http://www.cityofsanctuary.org/maternity

• Befrienders wanting to do more to improve maternity services• Maternity Stream formed• Maternity Service of Sanctuary award developed• The model can be used for services to learn about the award• The model used as a framework to develop 2 educational DVDs

https://vimeo.com/86176913

• Jackie’s reflection• More funding required !!!!

ReferencesHaith-Cooper M, Bradshaw G (2013) Meeting the health and social needs of pregnant asylum seekers; midwifery students’ perspectives. Part 3; The pregnant woman within the global context”; an inclusive model for midwifery education to address the needs of recently arrived migrant women in the UK. Nurse Education Today. 33,9,1045–1050

McCarthy, R & Haith-Cooper, M (2013) Evaluating the impact of befriending for pregnant asylum seeking and refugee women. British Journal of Midwifery 21,6,404-409