Please note: No further referrals for March due dates will be accepted, as our Volunteer Doula team is already at capacity.
Availability for May due date referrals are also extremely limited due to the same capacity restrictions.
We thank you for your understanding.
Client eligibility criteria
Our programs are provided free of charge to people living in Greater Melbourne or Geelong who are experiencing financial hardship and meet at least one of the following criteria:
- At risk of perinatal mental health issues
- Under 25 years of age
- Experiencing homelessness
- Newly arrived migrant
- Refugee background or seeking asylum
- History of mental health issues
- Current or historical substance misuse
- Experience of trauma, abuse, family violence
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- Lacking a birth support person
We try our best to support everyone who is referred to us. However, due to increasing demand for our services, we are not always able to provide support for everyone.
We provide the following support services for eligible clients in greater Melbourne and Geelong.
- 1:1 birth support (includes 2-3 antenatal appointments, support during labour, 1-2 postnatal appointments)
- 1:1 extended postnatal support (includes 12 hours support during the six weeks after birth)
Our doulas provide one-to-one education tailored to suit the needs of the client as a stand alone service. If your client is in need of additional education support related to pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period please submit a referral.
We welcome self-referrals and referrals from agencies and services. Referrals can be made at any stage during the pregnancy, however if the estimated due date is within the next four weeks, please provide as much detail as possible about the client. We will do our best to match them with a doula as soon as possible and will let you know if we have been able to.
Please note: We do not provide any financial assistance for maternity care or costs.
IMPORTANT: SERVICE PROVISION DURING COVID-19
Updated March 2022
Birth for Humankind is subject to the vaccination mandate for authorised workers. All of our active doulas meet the mandatory vaccination guidelines (i.e. are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or medically exempt and have provided evidence to support this). All of our doulas have completed COVID-19 Infection Control training.
Our doulas continue to provide labour and birth support to clients in line with local hospital restrictions and individual circumstances. Antenatal education and support and postnatal support can be provided in person, as well as remotely via video call or phone. The services are provided according to the health and best interests of both the clients and doulas, and individual hospital visitor restrictions.
We thank you for remembering that our doulas are all volunteers. Birth for Humankind takes seriously our responsibility to protect the health of our volunteers, our clients and their respective families, and to work safely within the Department of Health's Guidance and our COVID-Safe Business Plan.
