The Izzy Project
Supporting pregnant women and new mothers with involvement from children's social care in the London Borough of Hackney
Specialist, relationship-led support
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The Izzy Project offers specialist, relationship-led support to women living or giving birth in the London Borough of Hackney who are at risk of, or experiencing separation from their baby shortly after birth.
The project is named in loving memory of a child whose mum has been a huge part of Birth Companions for many years.
Our Izzy Project coordinators Helen and Lauren work one-to-one with women throughout their pregnancy, birth, and the first year of their baby’s life.
We support all women without judgement, in a trauma-informed and woman-centred way.
What does our support look like?
We provide practical and emotional support and information to help mothers navigate the children’s social care, family justice and maternity care systems, as well as wider services such as housing and public health
We help women access the full range of support services available in Hackney, and ensure women’s voices are heard and their needs understood by those services and the professionals working within them
We work alongside, but independently of midwives, social workers and other relevant health and social care services
A co-produced service
The Izzy Project was co-designed by members of the Birth Companions Lived Experience Team who have personal experience of children’s social care involvement during pregnancy and early motherhood, and with input from over 40 stakeholders from Hackney’s maternity, perinatal mental health, and children’s social care services.
Co-production was essential in understanding the needs of birth mothers in Hackney, and shaping an innovative service to meet those needs.
Who can we support?
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The Izzy Project can offer support to pregnant women and mothers of babies up to the age of one, who are either:
Living in Hackney;
Registered at a GP within City and Hackney;
Under the care of Homerton Hospital;
Or were under the care of Homerton Hospital for their most recent baby.
Referrals can be made for women who are either:
At risk of, or experiencing, separation from their baby at birth;
At risk of, or experiencing, separation from their baby in the first year after birth as the result of a family court order;
Whose baby is part of a Child Protection Plan;
Or whose baby is undergoing assessment for a Child Protection Plan.
Get support
Information about Birth Companions' referral processes and how to access support for yourself, or for someone you know.