Key facts
- An estimated 20,000 disclosures of domestic abuse are made to maternity services in England each year.
- Approximately 3.3% of maternity bookings in NHS trusts across England involved a disclosure of domestic abuse.
- Midwives are often the only professional a pregnant woman sees regularly and alone.
- Staff need proper, specialist training to know how to respond to domestic abuse disclosures.
- Services need the time and resources to follow through with support for domestic abuse disclosures.
- All staff working in NHS maternity and neonatal services are committed to meeting disclosures with compassion and support.
An estimated 20,000 disclosures of domestic abuse are made to maternity services in England every year, according to analysis by the charity For Baby’s Sake. The figures, based on data from 74 NHS trusts over a three-year average, are likely an underestimate of the true scale of the issue.
Midwives are often the only professionals who see pregnant women regularly and in private, making them uniquely positioned to identify signs of domestic abuse. However, experts emphasize that recognizing a disclosure is only the first step. They call for better specialist training for staff, as well as adequate time and resources to provide follow-up support, ensuring no disclosure is a missed opportunity to protect parents and babies.
Veronica Oakeshott, interim head of external affairs at Women’s Aid, highlighted the immense pressure on busy maternity wards and staff shortages, stressing the need for better support and training for maternity staff on how to handle these disclosures. Judith Rees, chief operating officer at For Baby’s Sake Trust, noted that building a strong relationship with parents and knowing how to respond to disclosures can be life-changing, emphasizing the critical window during pregnancy and early postnatal periods for intervention.
Kate Brintworth, chief midwifery officer for NHS England, stated that all staff in maternity and neonatal services are committed to responding to domestic abuse disclosures with compassion and providing clear support options. She added that midwives receive mandatory safeguarding training, along with specialist training on sensitive questioning, and can refer women to specialist domestic abuse services for housing and legal advice.