Listening to every partner who feels helpless
Fewer than half believe that parents’ voices are taken seriously. It’s critical that healthcare leaders listen to lived experiences to better understand and learn from gaps in care.
Are parents’ voices taken seriously?
Those with first‑hand experience of pregnancy and birth provide a fundamentally different perspective. More than two in five women (41%) feel that they are not taken seriously in maternity care, compared to just 28% of men. Partners must recognise the important role they play throughout, helping to listen and advocate for those giving birth at times when physical exhaustion, apprehension or even clinical pressure can make it difficult to speak up.
For those providing care, listening to any concerns or wishes raised by both parents is essential as dismissing or minimising issues can increase the risk of avoidable harm. Where needed, staff should undertake relevant communication training to ensure patient voices are embedded in all care.
Yes
No
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Expectation vs reality
Our findings suggest that parents struggle to make their voices heard most during birth and postnatal care.
27% of expectant parents felt their concerns were not taken seriously, which rises sharply to 40% of all parents with a child under one.
Feeling overlooked at times of great vulnerability can compound anxiety and even contribute to longer-term mental health challenges, further highlighting how important it is for healthcare providers to listen and empathise with parents.
“My own experience of maternity care showed me how easily parents can be left without clear support, particularly once they are home.
When concerns are minimised, or parents don’t know how to speak up or who to turn to, the consequences can be serious. This data reinforces what so many families already know — listening isn’t happening consistently enough, and the impact is real. My 2024 cross‑party parliamentary inquiry found the same concerns and called for a maternity commissioner to lead a National Maternity Improvement Strategy and help restore confidence in maternity services. Yet nearly two years on, these recommendations remain unimplemented while public concern continues to grow. Addressing these failures requires urgent action, starting with taking parents’ voices seriously at every stage, especially during postnatal care.”
THEO CLARKE
Founder of Breaking the Taboo podcast
“We felt the care we received during the birth of our first child was far less than adequate....
...on hearing our tragic news, a client of mine suggested I call Irwin Mitchell. From the beginning, after feeling so lost and quite stunned, we suddenly had people who would listen to our concerns and form not just an emotional opinion but a professional one as well. Despite Irwin Mitchell being such a large organisation that sees so many clinical negligence cases, we didn’t feel like just another case. Each point of contact was most sincere and supportive.”
OUR CLIENT
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