Rosie Hospital Safeguarding Team forms part of the Trust Safeguarding Team for Adults, Paediatric and Maternity; there is a named midwife for safeguarding who provides support and guidance to the midwifery, medical and neonatal staff where there are concerns regarding vulnerable adults and children.
Social research evidence demonstrates that women with socially complex lives consistently experience poorer outcomes to pregnancy (maternal or neonatal) than women who do not suffer these difficulties. Acknowledging this, the Rosie Hospital recognizes that there are some women for whom routine care may not be appropriate, as their needs are best served by more Specialist maternity staff.
There are 3 Specialist Midwives who offer support to pregnant women who may:
- Be suffering abuse
- Be using substances in pregnancy
- Be under the age of 19 years
- Not speak English as a first language
- Have a learning disability
- Be living in poverty
- (Be experiencing other difficulties not listed above)
After a rigorous training and orientation, the Specialist Midwives have an in-depth knowledge of these issues and are well placed to offer continuity of care and support in pregnancy and the postnatal period.
They also work closely with other agencies, such as Health Visitors and GP’s, Perinatal Mental Health Services, Children’s Centres and Children’s Social Care, to ensure the support needed continues after families have been discharged from Midwifery care. Referral to one of the Specialist Midwives does NOT automatically indicate a referral to Children’s Social Care, and if this is assessed as necessary, it is ALWAYS discussed with the pregnant woman beforehand, unless this would introduce a risk of harm to the mother or child.
The Rosie Hospital’s own review of this team has shown:
- better breastfeeding rates in teenage parents
- increased uptake of contraception post-natally
- decrease in the number of babies suffering withdrawal from substances, or a decrease in severity of symptoms in those who do
- decrease in the level of intervention required by social support services
- better ‘joined up’ care planning for women with complicated social care needs
There are plans to increase the reach of this team in the future, to fully comply with the requirements of the ‘Better Births’ report.