Birth Companions provide support to vulnerable pregnant women and new mothers. They deliver their services in prison and in the community in the greater London area. The women they support often face a range of issues and challenges including mental health problems, substance misuse, a history of domestic and sexual violence, trafficking, experience of detention and human rights violations overseas. The women are particularly vulnerable during their pregnancies due to the effects of poor health, poverty, lack of support from family and friends as well as isolation. Birth Companions seek to reduce the women’s feelings of alienation and estrangement at a time that should be a milestone in their lives.

Birth Companions overall aim is to improve the experience of pregnancy, birth and motherhood for women and ensure the best possible start in life for their new-born babies. They also seek to raise awareness of the needs of the women they work with and to influence changes in policy and law in order to improve conditions of the women they work with.