iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Our week-long Big Give Women and Girls Match Fund campaign is now live 🎉 Donations up to £15K will be doubled until we hit our £30K target. To donate, visit our Big Give page: buff.ly/gl7vYkb

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Save the Date! Our week-long Big Give Women and Girls Match Fund campaign kicks off tomorrow, midday. This means donations up to £15K will be doubled until we hit our £30K target. Keep an eye on our website and social channels for updates at 12pm on Tues 6.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

As part of our 30th anniversary storytelling project, we're sharing some of the people who have shaped our organisation over the past three decades. For nearly 20 years, Sarah has been showing up for women with Birth Companions, often on her bright pink bike. Read Sarah's story: buff.ly/BxlzJY3

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

As part of our 30th anniversary storytelling project, we're sharing some of the people who have shaped our organisation. Grace's positive experience with Birth Companions led her to establish support for pregnant women and mothers in Sierra Leone. Read Grace's story:https://buff.ly/rfTdgeY

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

As part of our 30th anniversary storytelling project, we're sharing some of the people who have shaped our organisation over the past three decades. Anna first came to Birth Companions almost 20 years ago as a volunteer birth supporter. Read Anna’s full story: buff.ly/omFofAM

buff.ly

Birth Companions

One day, in 2006, I was flicking through a magazine and saw an article about women being shackled in labour. It mentioned Birth Companions and I thought: that is it. I need to volunteer for this…

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

➡️Our response to Government plans to reduce the women's prison population: The Government has recognised that change is needed. The next step is to turn that ambition into lasting reform that centres the safety and wellbeing of women, babies and families.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

We are proud to support Black Maternal Mental Health Week UK 2026. Led by The Motherhood Group, this vital week (21–27 September) raises awareness, amplifies lived experience, and drives vital action across our maternity and wider healthcare systems. For more details, visit: buff.ly/ZkyEtpw

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

On Thursday 24 September, are hosting a reflection webinar on this year’s MBRRACE-UK maternal mortality report. To sign up for the webinar, please register via this link: buff.ly/nnm7kmT

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Today marks the launch of Start Strong, led by Sally Hogg. We are proud to be part of this new national movement that works to address the early inequalities that shape the lives of so many babies, children, pregnant women and mothers across the first 1001 days.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Two weeks to go! We’re gathering evidence as part of our national inquiry into intergenerational cycles of care, exploring how to ensure care-experienced girls and women are supported when they become pregnant and have babies themselves. Share evidence: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/initiatives/...

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Three weeks to go! We’re gathering evidence for our national inquiry into intergenerational care, exploring how we can better support care-experienced girls and women when they become pregnant and have babies themselves. Share your evidence now: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/initiatives/...

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

"The power of Birth Companions is seeing women speak up, be listened to, and make things happen as a result." To mark our 30th anniversary, we're sharing stories from people who've shaped our organisation over the past three decades. Read Naomi's story: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/30th-anniver...

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

“We wanted every Baby Box to feel like a gift rather than a handout.” As part of our 30th anniversary storytelling project, we're sharing stories from some of the people who have shaped our organisation over the past three decades. Read Karen's story: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/30th-anniver...

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Could you be Birth Companions' new Community Perinatal Services Coordinator? 📍 North/North East London, with some home-working 💷 £33,500 (pro rata) 📆 4.5 days per week 📃 2 year contract, with likely extension Find out more and apply: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/work-with-us

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NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) @nyasservices.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

💜 If you have lived experience or are a professional working with those who do, we'd love to hear from you. Find out more: bit.ly/3Tae9iw Call for evidence is open until 4/09/26 Please share this post to help us reach more people whose voices deserve to be heard.(2/2)

Slide 5
Who do we want to hear from?

We want to hear from care-experienced women who have had contact with social care during pregnancy or early motherhood, and professionals working in or with the social care system, to know what is working, what's not working and where we should be focussing our efforts for meaningful change.

Slide 6
How can I respond?
Visit our website to submit your views to our Inquiry, we want to hear from as many different people as possible.
Our call for evidence is open until 4th September 2026.

Slide 7
What else are we doing?

At the end of this year, we will be holding oral evidence sessions in Parliament on different themes relating to the issues of intergenerational care. For more information on participation in these, please visit our website.

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NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) @nyasservices.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

📣 Heard about our National Inquiry into Intergenerational Cycles of Care Involvement? NYAS & Birth Companions are working together to ensure care-experienced women & girls are supported to give their babies the best possible start in life. Swipe through to find out more. (1/2)

Slide 1
Have you heard about our Inquiry into Intergenerational Cycles of Care Involvement?

Slide 2
What will the Inquiry involve?

Together with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Care Experienced Children and Young People, we are going to:
- Gather evidence
- Listen to lived experience
- Drive policy change
- Break this cycle

Slide 3

What do we already know?
There is a strong emerging evidence base that indicates care-experienced young women are more likely to experience state intervention and/or separation from their children.
Many care-experienced young people feel unsupported and stigmatised when it comes to parenting their children.

Slide 4
What is our Inquiry doing?

We've launched a call for written evidence to find out what is working, what is not working, and where we should be focussing our efforts for meaningful change - so care-experienced young women can be supported to give their own babies the very best possible start in life.

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NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) @nyasservices.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

📢 Our Call for Evidence deadline has been extended to 18th September NYAS and Birth Companions want to hear from care-experienced women and professionals who work with them about pregnancy, early motherhood and social care. Find out more: bit.ly/4i5WfaR

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

📢 Our Call for Evidence deadline has been extended to 18th September Birth Companions and @nyasservices.bsky.social want to hear from care-experienced women, and professionals who work with them, about social care contact in pregnancy and early motherhood www.birthcompanions.org.uk/initiatives/...

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

The Birth Companions Institute has issued a statement on the Government's recent pause to the early prisoner release scheme.

The pause on early releases creates an opportunity to think afresh about how we identify those across the prison estate who present the lowest risk and can be safely and effectively managed in the community. The vast majority of women in prison fall into this category.

With the right support from specialist women's services, releasing more women can be part of the solution to a complex problem in its own right.

Implementation of the Women's Justice Board's recommendations would help set a different trajectory. We urge the Ministry of Justice to take this forward with urgency.

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MAGENTA Project @magentaproject.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Today is #ClimateEmergencyDay!🌍 At MAGENTA, we’re researching how rising temperatures affect pregnancy & how homes and surroundings impact birth outcomes.🏠🏙️ We are working with @birthcompanions.bsky.social to turn data into support. Swipe for details.🧵 @wellcometrust.bsky.social

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

HMPPS is expanding the Prison Based Social Worker role across the whole women's prison estate – something we've long called for.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

We're proud to be working with NYAS and the APPG on this national inquiry into intergenerational care involvement. The call for evidence is open now, please share widely 👇🏼

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Birth Companions Institute and @nyasservices.bsky.social are pleased to be working with the APPG for Care Experienced Children and Young People to lead a national inquiry into the intergenerational cycle of care involvement in England. Call for evidence for this inquiry is open: bit.ly/4e4Q3fC

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended last week's HMPPS Think Child session, and to Kirsty Kitchen, Tanya Tracey and Sam from our Lived Experience Team, for a discussion on the needs of pregnant women, mothers and infants, at the heart of our 1001 Days in the CJS programme. For more: bit.ly/4eNBTRX

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

New analysis from Sustain and The Food Foundation. We support their call to expand eligibility, including for families with no recourse to public funds and dealing with economic disadvantage. foodfoundation.org.uk/publication/...

foodfoundation.org.uk

Healthy Start: unlocking its potential to support with family food bills and tackle child food insecurity

A Food Foundation report shows expanding the Healthy Start scheme would deliver £7.7 billion of economic benefits to society over 10 years

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Bookings are now open for two MBRRACE-UK virtual conferences this autumn. (1/4) 👇🏽

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Baby, written by Birth Companions ambassador Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, is a @cleanbrk.bsky.social and Brixton House co-production coming in October. A provocative play about one woman's determination to survive against every odd. Get your tickets while you can: www.cleanbreak.org.uk/productions/...

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Birth Companions ambassador @leahhazard.bsky.social has a new book coming: Birth Wars. Birth Companions staff and our Lived Experience Team contributed to the development of a chapter on pregnancy, birth and early motherhood in prison. Pre-order now: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/birt...

uk.bookshop.org

Birth Wars: The Hidden Battles Changing our Bodies and our World

The Hidden Battles Changing our Bodies and our World

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Birth Companions is hosting a session as part of HMPPS's Think Child Campaign on Wednesday 1 July, 1:30pm. Hear from Director of our Institute, Kirsty Kitchen, Director of Services, Tanya Tracey, and Sam from our Lived Experience Team: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/event/hmpps-...

birthcompanions.org.uk

HMPPS Think Child Campaign 2026

Birth Companions takes part in HMPPS Think Child Campaign 2026

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Our latest Spotlight report explores the policy context, evidence, and priorities for change needed to ensure the probation system meets the needs of pregnant women, mothers and babies. Read here: bit.ly/4w4BsIN

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Our next trauma-informed engagement training is on 15 July, 10:30–13:00. This co-designed, 2.5-hour online session covers our engagement model, core values, and the theoretical and practical aspects of doing engagement work well. £48 per person. For details and booking, visit: bit.ly/4xpRPkq

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Our co-designed National Integrated Care Framework is now being tested in three test and learn sites: Sheffield, Norfolk, and Hackney. Shaped by lived experience and practice knowledge from the very start. Now being tested in practice. Read more from our evaluator, Claire Mason: bit.ly/4fPmK3k

bit.ly

Testing the new National Integrated Care Framework

Claire Mason reflects on the evaluation of the National Integrated Care Framework co-design process that she is conducting for the Birth Companions.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Join us on 1 July as part of the HMPPS Think Child Campaign. We'll be presenting a session on recognising and responding to pregnancy and early motherhood in the criminal justice system. 🗓️ 1:30–2:30pm, online. Register via the link below 👇 www.birthcompanions.org.uk/event/hmpps-...

birthcompanions.org.uk

HMPPS Think Child Campaign 2026

Birth Companions takes part in HMPPS Think Child Campaign 2026

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

birthcompanions.org.uk

HMPPS Think Child Campaign 2026

Birth Companions takes part in HMPPS Think Child Campaign 2026

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

This charity was built by volunteers. Thirty years on, that hasn't changed. As Volunteers' Week 2026 draws to a close, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has given their time, compassion and commitment to the women and babies we support🩷 #VolunteersWeek2026

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

To mark Volunteers’ Week, Denise Marshall, one of Birth Companions’ founders, explains how the charity was founded and built by volunteers and why they remain one of its greatest strengths. www.birthcompanions.org.uk/articles/a-m... #VolunteersWeek

birthcompanions.org.uk

How Birth Companions Was Built by Volunteers

Denise Marshall, one of Birth Companions’ founders, explains how the charity was founded and built by volunteers.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

In 2026, Birth Companions marks 30 years of standing alongside pregnant women and mothers through some of the most difficult and complex situations imaginable. To celebrate, we’ve traced key milestones from our beginnings right through to today. Explore our full timeline here: bit.ly/4tKe69x

A snippet of our key Birth companions milestones

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

We welcome the launch of the long-awaited PPO investigation into the use of restraints during pregnancy and birth, but maintain serious concerns about the absence of legal funding for women affected, and of structured support or outreach to help them engage. Read our full statement:

birthcompanions.org.uk

Shackled in Labour: PPO investigation launch response

Birth Companions welcomes the PPO's investigation in into the use of restraints during pregnancy and birth, but maintains serious concerns.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

This year, Birth Companions marks 30 years of standing alongside pregnant women and mothers through some of the most difficult and complex situations imaginable. Find out more: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/articles/30-... #BirthCompanions30

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

"In the end I gave up begging them to remove the handcuffs because I was so exhausted by the time I had to push my baby out.” Vital coverage of the barbaric practice of shackling imprisoned women during pregnancy and birth, and of the deeply flawed terms of the PPO's investigation. bit.ly/4cZqXzS

theguardian.com

The UK scandal of women handcuffed while in labour: ‘I was so shocked when the restraints weren’t removed’

Pregnant women prisoners in England are being handcuffed to prison officers – often male – during intimate vaginal examinations and long, agonising births. Will this dehumanising treatment be stopped?

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Birth Companions and @nyasservices.bsky.social are pleased to announce that we'll be working with the APPG for Care Experienced Children and Young People to lead a national inquiry into the intergenerational cycle of care involvement in England. More details coming soon!

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

LOLLIPOP airs tonight on BBC2 at 11pm & will be on iPlayer soon afterwards. It’s a powerful film about a mother's release from prison and how the housing, social care and justice systems too often perpetuate cycles of harm rather than breaking them. www.birthcompanions.org.uk/articles/sto...

birthcompanions.org.uk

Birth Companions and BBC film LOLLIPOP in Parliament

Birth Companions Institute takes BBC film LOLLIPOP into Parliament

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

Today we brought award-winning film LOLLIPOP into Parliament and the passion in the room was unmistakable. The conversations were heartbreaking, challenging and grounded in the realities mothers and families face every day. We’re deeply grateful to @jessasatomp.bsky.social for hosting us.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

Today we’re taking the film LOLLIPOP into Parliament. Watching clips, sharing lived experience, and talking honestly about maternal imprisonment, social care and housing, with a focus on opportunities for change. Did you hear @jessasatomp.bsky.social talking about it on Radio 4's Today Programme?

A scene from the film LOLLIPOP where Molly embraces her two children.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

On Tuesday the Birth Companions Institute is screening Lollipop in Parliament with @jessasatomp.bsky.social. A powerful film. Real insights. An urgent conversation about how this film can drive real policy change in maternal imprisonment, social care, housing and the family courts. bit.ly/4qnpHdS

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

We are delighted to announce that Tanya Tracey, previously our Criminal Justice Services Manager, has this month taken on the role of Director of Services. Read all about this change in Birth Companions' senior leadership team: www.birthcompanions.org.uk/articles/tan...

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

Today we stand together with our Ambassador @leahhazard.bsky.social to affirm a vital truth: pregnant, birthing and postnatal women have fundamental human rights. No matter where they are, no matter how challenging their circumstances, these rights must be respected, protected, and upheld.

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Birth Companions @birthcompanions.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

We're all over the moon about #LostMothers win at last night's @cjalliance.bsky.social awards! Driven throughout by women with experience of maternal imprisonment & separation, this research really was ground-breaking. What a privilege to be involved. @midwifeteacher.bsky.social@cleanbrk.bsky.social

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