On 3rd April, 2008, the Goodwin Volunteer Doula Project held its first national conference in Hull, to launch the replication model of the service. The Doula Project were joined by various key note speakers : Julie Green, Midwifery Lecturer will be discussing the research she has recently conducted on the service, Carolyn Heaney, Third Sector Partnership Programme Manager from the Department of Health, and Pauline Dumble, Assistant Director of Modernisation, Hull Teaching PCT. So why replicate? As the Hull project has demonstrated there have been huge benefits to both mums and families, volunteers and all other services and agencies supporting these women. We have had much interest nationally around how we have successfully developed the service, so why re-invent the wheel? Our service demonstrates a clear fit with the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, Maternity Matters and the Every Child Matters Policy and has been evaluated locally as making a significant impact on local midwifery services supporting this group of vulnerable women, and additionally helping to achieve better birth outcomes. This has also been recognized as Hull Teaching PCT and the Hull City Council are jointly funding the Hull project for the forthcoming year. Click the following link to view keynote presentations from the Goodwin Volunteer Doula Service Conference If you would like to find out more about future events, please email the project on jwindass@goodwin-centre.org or contact us through the website.
