“Gender Equity Victoria supports Birth for Humankind’s call for more funding to support the sustainable delivery of the current community-based volunteer Doula model and funding enhancements to the program that will allow an employed community-based Doula program”.
We are proud to be a member of, and work alongside Gender Equity Victoria (GEN VIC), the peak body for gender equity in the State. We recently contributed to the joint budget submission, in order to amplify the voices and needs of marginalised women and gender diverse birthing people. You can read the full GEN VIC submission here.
National and international research shows that continuity of care/support1 models, and specifically community-based doula support, can support better birth and early parenting outcomes and experiences, including maternal-child attachment, higher confidence/agency during pregnancy and early parenting and knowledge and connections in the postnatal period. This is especially beneficial for women and gender diverse birthing people who have previous experiences of trauma and are socially or systemically marginalised.
Community-based doula support can enhance overstretched public maternity services and play an important role in mitigating the effects of the social determinants of health and reducing barriers faced within the health system. A recent academic paper exploring culturally responsive maternity care also found that BFH doulas and clinical maternity providers often formed positive, collaborative relationships that enhanced the support provided to clients.
BFH is seeking investment in core service delivery to ensure we sustain (with a strategic intent to increase) service delivery capacity and continue providing trauma-informed and culturally sensitive perinatal support to priority populations across greater Melbourne.
You can read Birth for Humankind’s 2025 Investment Proposal here.