The Birth Charter for Women in Prisons in Australia

The Australian Birth Charter aims to adapt the guidelines from the original Birth Charter for pregnant women in prisons in England and Wales (developed by Birth Companions UK) to the Australian context. The Australian Birth Charter for pregnant women in prison will provide a set of guidelines for best practice within which care for incarcerated pregnant women should be provided. This Australian Birth Charter sets out our recommendations for improving the care of pregnant women and their babies while they are in prison. At the same time, we (the authors) welcome input from all stakeholders to contribute to the improvement of the experiences of pregnant women and new mothers in prison. For the pregnant women and new mothers who remain in prison, we believe that, as per Birth Companions’ original intent, implementing an Australian Birth Charter is now more critical than ever.