Pregnancy in Prison

“Many of the changes announced by the Government today were recommended in Birth Companion’s 2017 Birth Charter.

More training and tweaks to the current system do not address the fundamental question of why pregnant women and babies are in prison in the first place. The Government knows that in some cases this is due to lack of adequate accommodation or healthcare support in the community, including for mental health and substance misuse issues. The Government’s 2018 strategy is based on evidence that many women in prison can be better supported by community-based services such as women’s centres while raising their families in their own homes.

To end the harm inflicted by our prison system on pregnant women and mothers and babies on Mother and Baby Units, the government must take immediate action to end the imprisonment of women. Failure to do so will mean more tragedies like the stillbirth and death of a baby in prison that took place over the course of conducting this review.”

ENDS

Notes:

Ministry of Justice’s announcement to changes to care of pregnant women and mothers and babies on Mother and Baby Units in Prison can be found here.

Contact:
Laura Hill: 07971 755586
[email protected]