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Resources

When You Know – Childbirth in the Asylum System

This film explores themes of fear, access and isolation. Developed and released in 2025 as part of Best for Baby Too Improvement Collaborative in Liverpool, this moving film highlights stark, personal testimonies of five women with lived experience of navigating maternity care while living under asylum restrictions.

Maternity Stream of Sanctuary Resources

Information about use of hotel initial accommodation for pregnant women

Following a judicial review, the High Court has ruled that pregnant women/those with children under three in hotels must be provided their additional weekly payments. This was previously removed due to hotels being considered ‘full board’, but the court case found that the nutritional provision was not adequate for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Women for Refugee Women: Report on the treatment of women living in hotels

Helen Bamber Foundation: Welfare, Maternity and Asylum Support Hotels report

Pregnant and Forgotten: Blog post from Refugee Action

Information about financial support for women seeking sanctuary

Asylum Support information from Gov UK

The Refugee Council: Maternity Care in the UK for women on asylum support

Information on the Sure Start maternity grant

Resources from Maternity Action

We work closely with Maternity Action, and strongly recommend their resources. They have information about women’s’ access to financial support, navigating charging for maternity care and so much more. Here are links to some of the most relevant reports

Resources from the Royal Colleges

We work closely with the Royal Colleges to advocate for better maternity care for women seeking sanctuary. In 2022 the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists called for an urgent review of how the UK Government cares for pregnant women in the asylum system. To read the statement, click here.

The Royal College of Midwives have published a pocket guide to help midwives navigate care for women seeking sanctuary, click here to access it. If you are an RCM member, you can also complete an online iLearn module here.

Resources to support in cases of dispersal

Pregnancy Care Transfer Cards: Developed by Surrey Heartlands Local Maternity and Neonatal System, these transfer cards are now available in 28 languages. Designed to be helpful for women who may be relocated at short notice.

Home Office: Escalation routes for health professionals concerned about dispersal in pregnancy

Click here to access a draft letter developed by the Maternity Stream of Sanctuary to support you to advocate for women in this situation.

Resources to support women who do not speak English

The following digital resource pack is for use by commissioners of maternity services, and for maternity service providers such as midwives and obstetricians.

Event Recordings

Recording from the launch event of the Maternity Stream resource pack 27/01/22

Recording from the Facilitated Conversation ‘Overcoming the barriers to accessing maternity care’ 16/09/21

Other Videos

Maternity and Midwifery Hour recording featuring Wan from the Y&H Maternity Stream group – Providing empowerment and care to pregnant and childbearing migrants / refugees (16/03/22)

Videos produced by the Yorkshire and Humberside Maternity Stream

‘Women from the Shadows: Giving birth in a Hostile Environment’

‘Birth with Sanctuary’ – stories of birth, seeking sanctuary and working with sanctuary seeking women

You can access the full playlist on Youtube here

‘Childbirth in the UK: stories from refugees’ – stories from refugees about their experiences of childbirth

‘Childbirth in the UK: a guide for refugee women – a video for pregnant women who are refugees or asylum seekers

Translations into community languages