Funding for maternity services is being hailed as a win for women and their families. Photo: Bear Hunt Photography.
A multi-million dollar boost for maternity services has been viewed as an empowering message to women that they’ve finally been heard after countless stories of trauma and devastation emerged of birthing experiences within the state’s health system.
Better Births Illawarra has celebrated a landmark investment from the NSW Government after $83 million was announced to boost maternity care, family care centres and vaccination across the state to improve experiences for women and their children.
“Today, we say with full hearts — we’ve been heard,” Better Births Illawarra President Sharon Settecasse said.
“This funding is not just a line in a budget. It is a powerful acknowledgement of the thousands of women who spoke out about their births — women who were dismissed, traumatised, and left to carry that pain alone.
“Their stories have led to this change.”
$44.8 million was committed to increase midwifery continuity of care models which will include an additional 53 full-time equivalent midwives recruited across regional NSW.
A timeline and breakdown of where they will be allocated will be determined through consultation with NSW Health and local health districts, with recruitment expected to begin this year.
“Women told us again and again: ‘I just wanted to feel empowered and respected,’” Sharon said. “Continuity of Midwifery Care offers just that — it connects women with a known midwife or small team of midwives who supports them through pregnancy, birth and
postpartum.”
The Better Births Illawarra team have been advocating since 2016. Photo: Exist Images.
Funding has also been allocated to enhance training for clinicians in respectful maternity care, enhance education and consumer information for patients and go towards free vaccination to pregnant women to protect them and their babies from whooping cough, influenza and RSV.
$250,000 is for virtual paediatrician support to general practitioners across NSW and the remaining $26.8 million is going towards maintaining family care centres, mobile services and a residential clinic, none of which are in the Illawarra.
“The first 2000 days of life, from conception to age five, is a critical time for physical, cognitive, social and emotional health, and development and can have a lifelong impact on a child’s wellbeing and quality of life,” NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said.
“The Minns Labor Government’s investment in maternity care, regional parenting support services and vaccination programs for pregnant women, will help all babies born in NSW get the very best start to life.”
Better Births Illawarra has championed the voices of women for more than a decade and stood front and centre as it supported those speaking out during the state inquiry into birth trauma in 2023.
Last year the Health Minister apologised to the families who had not received adequate maternity care in the state’s health system as the NSW Government announced that it supported 42 of 43 of the inquiry’s recommendations and would accelerate five initiatives as a response to findings.
That advocacy, which started in the Illawarra, is now setting the standard and changing lives across the state.
“This is a tribute to the courage of thousands of women who refused to be silenced,” Sharon said. “It tells every woman: your story matters; your safety matters; your birth experience matters.
“This investment sends a clear message: women’s health matters and everyone deserves access to an empowered birth — and we will no longer settle for less.”
To support Better Births Illawarra or find out more about its advocacy visit the Better Births Illawarra website.
