Midwifery
Volume 34, 2016, Pages 133-140

'We make them feel special': The experiences of voluntary sector workers supporting asylum seeking and refugee women during pregnancy and early motherhood (Article)

Balaam M.-C.* , Kingdon C. , Thomson G. , Finlayson K. , Downe S.
  • a Research in Childbirth and Health (ReaCH) Group, School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, United Kingdom
  • b Research in Childbirth and Health (ReaCH) Group, School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, United Kingdom
  • c Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Nurture Unit (MAINN), School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, United Kingdom
  • d Research in Childbirth and Health (ReaCH) Group, School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, United Kingdom
  • e Research in Childbirth and Health (ReaCH) Group, School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, United Kingdom

Abstract

Background or context: refugee and asylum seekers are over represented in maternal death data. Many asylum seeking and refugee women access maternity care infrequently, or not at all. Little is known about the role of voluntary sector workers in supporting pregnant refugees and asylum seekers. Objective: to explore the experiences of voluntary sector workers supporting asylum seeking and refugee women during pregnancy and early motherhood. Design: a qualitative descriptive study. Setting and participants: individual and focus group interviews in three large urban centres in North West England, United Kingdom. Findings: two main themes emerged. 'Literally through hell and back' reflected the experiences of suffering, abuse and loss recounted to the volunteers by many of the women they work with. 'Bridging the unacknowledged gap' related to the invisible processes undertaken by the workers as they enable the women they work with to over come their marginalised position. This included the difficulties of transience, and lack of enculturation, and to support them in accessing maternity care. Conclusion: voluntary sector workers supporting asylum seeking and refugee women strongly identified with the extreme suffering experienced by many of the women they work with. Through this contact, they become acutely aware of the gaps in provision for such women, and developed unique and innovative approaches to bridge this gap. These findings highlight the need for maternity health system to actively collaborate with, and learn from, voluntary agencies working in this field to improve the support offered to asylum seeking and refugee women. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

Author Keywords

Voluntary Pregnant Social support culture Asylum Refugee

Index Keywords

maternal care refugee prenatal care Transcultural Nursing human volunteer State Medicine Volunteers national health service interview Young Adult Humans migrant psychology maternal child health care Adolescent worker Emigrants and Immigrants England female pregnancy Maternal-child Health Services adult human experiment midwife Midwifery United Kingdom cultural nursing Health Services Accessibility health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84960087020&doi=10.1016%2fj.midw.2015.12.003&partnerID=40&md5=e9b9728d55dffdc0e78b0d9e515144d3
DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2015.12.003
ISSN: 02666138
Cited by: 5
Original Language: English