Kerryn O'Rourke & Red Dearnley ‘Tuning into and adapting to client need and care context’
Tuning into and adapting to client need and care context
This session will share insights from the recent evaluation of Birth for Humankind’s doula support program, and provide a space for doulas present to reflect on these insights in relation to their own practice.
Birth for Humankind supports women and gender diverse people experiencing systemic disadvantage during pregnancy, birth, early parenting and abortions. Recent evaluation of the program showed that Birth for Humankind doulas worked in a range of ways, depending on their own perceptions of their roles, relationships with and the needs of women, and features of the public maternity care system. Doulas and clients reported doula practice across a spectrum that spanned preparing the client for the system, accompanying them in the system, through to the facilitation of the client’s space in the system. Some doulas practiced within a narrow range on the spectrum, while others worked more dynamically, moving up and down, depending on the situation.
This session will further detail these findings – and focus in on the contexts and doula practice that enhance collaboration between doulas and maternity care providers in the public system, for increased care quality.
Kerryn O'Rourke (she/her)
Kerryn is a social science and public health researcher with expertise in social and health equity. She works as a Senior Research Fellow at Charles Darwin University (remotely from Naarm), conducting commissioned realist reviews and evaluations of public health, health and social care, and social change programs. She is also an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s School of Population and Global Health. For her PhD, Kerryn evaluated Birth for Humankind’s volunteer doula support program, and has a strong, ongoing interest in promoting equity and dignity in maternity care. She also has a Master of Health Sciences (Public Health Practice), a Master of Public Health (International Health), a Graduate Diploma in Health Promotion, and Bachelor of Nursing.
Red Dearnley (they/them)
Red is an executive and non-executive leader and advisor to the for-purpose sector. They are currently CEO of Birth for Humankind and Founder (Principal Consultant) of the collaborative social change consultancy, Influence Global. With an activist’s heart and governance nerd’s head, Red is passionate about driving systemic change and understanding how change happens. Much of their work centres on applying intersectional feminist principles at all levels of organisational culture, governance and operations.
Red is Deputy Chair of WIRE, Victoria’s only free, generalist support service provider for women and gender diverse people and a Trustee of the Influence Global Impact Fund. They are a Certified Community Director and a member of the Institute of Community Directors, Australian Institute of Company Directors and GLOBE Victoria.
