The Rosie is one of three hospitals in the UK taking part in research to assess how specialist maternity support can help those experiencing domestic violence and abuse.
The RIVA study, led by researchers at King's College London, will involve the Rosie research team and Caroline Bull, a specialist midwife for domestic abuse and substance misuse at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH).
The study will run for eight months and evaluate the work of Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA) in maternity services within NHS Trusts.
Domestic abuse including physical, psychological, economic and coercive control can escalate in the perinatal period.
Caroline Bull, specialist midwife for substance misuse and domestic abuse at CUH.
Domestic violence and abuse effects up to 1 in 5 during their pregnancy and is associated with an increased risk of obstetric complications e.g. low-birth weight, pre-term birth and perinatal mental health problems.
Exposure to abuse can also impact on an unborn baby and early childhood and is associated with poor mental and physical health, lower academic achievement and impaired social development in children and adolescents.
Pregnancy is a time for repeated contact with health services so it is an opportunity to intervene.
Research also suggests that more are likely to disclose their experiences of abuse in a maternity setting, particularly in the presence of a trusted professional.
Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) have been successfully supporting people through pregnancy and in the postnatal period for a number of years at the Rosie.
Alongside the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough IDVA service, this has provided specialist support to any service user who discloses abuse.
Caroline Bull is a specialist midwife for substance misuse and domestic abuse at CUH and involved in the research study. She said:
"Whilst many Trusts across the UK have limited access to an IDVA, here at CUH we are incredibly lucky to have our own Trust IDVA, Sarah Young. She does an incredible job supporting any service users who disclose abuse, as well as supporting staff members.
"Here at the Rosie, midwives ensure that all women are asked routine sensitive questions about abuse throughout their pregnancy and in the postnatal period. Any disclosure will be met with compassion, sensitivity and clear options for support including an IDVA referral."
"We welcome the opportunity to be part of research that will undoubtedly change practice and improve access to IDVA support for people subject to abuse within NHS Trusts across the UK.'
This research will help to develop recommendations for how IDVAs can best work in maternity services. The aim is to help make the IDVA role more sustainable and impactful, and ultimately to improve outcomes for women and their babies who have experienced domestic abuse.
Dr Jill Domoney, research clinical psychologist, King’s College London
The RIVA study will include data collection, interviews with staff and with service users to assess how support can be tailored and improved.
It will also be working with Safelives, one of the leading national domestic abuse organisations.
The research is led by Kings College London and is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration.
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Independent Domestic Violence Advisors
Independent Domestic Violence Advisors or IDVAs receive specialist accredited training and hold a nationally recognised qualification.
While there is now evidence for the effectiveness of IDVAs across a range of health settings, less is known about their implementation or impact within maternity services.
In addition, there have been no formal evaluations of health-based IDVA models since the Covid-19 pandemic.