Community Conversations on Maternity Care Scheduled in Leeds

Leeds Involving People and Birthrights to Host Discussions

Leeds Involving People, in partnership with the UK charity Birthrights, is organising a series of Community Conversations aimed at exploring experiences of pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care. These sessions are designed to provide a safe and inclusive environment for participants to share their views and contribute to the development of future maternity care training and advocacy.

Purpose of the Community Conversations

The Community Conversations will focus on several key themes:

• Reflecting on personal experiences of pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care
• Discussing what it means to be listened to, respected, and supported during maternity care
• Learning about human rights in maternity care in practical terms
• Exploring factors that facilitate or hinder individuals from speaking up or advocating for themselves
• Sharing ideas to help design future training and empowerment tools

Insights gathered from these discussions will contribute to shaping national workshops and advocacy efforts by Birthrights, potentially influencing how maternity care is delivered and understood across the UK.

Event Details

Two sessions are scheduled to take place on Thursday 19 February 2026 at the Leeds Black Elders Association, located at 3 Reginald Terrace, LS7 3EZ:

• Session One: For birthing people and families, from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Participants will receive a £20 shopping voucher for their involvement.
• Session Two: For doulas, support workers, community advocates, and healthcare professionals, from 1:30pm to 4:30pm.

Both sessions will include:

• A welcome and introduction to Birthrights
• Open, story-based discussions in small groups
• A co-design activity focusing on advocacy and empowerment
• Opportunities for reflection and connection
• Food and refreshments

There is a limited budget available for travel support to help participants attend.

How to Participate

Those interested in attending are asked to express their interest by completing an online form. Due to limited spaces, places will be confirmed by 5 February 2026.

If individuals are unable to attend the sessions on 19 February, there may be other opportunities to be involved in the project.

To express interest, visit: https://forms.office.com/e/f8qiYDgsQr

Importance of Community Input

The organisers emphasise that participant experiences and insights are vital to developing training and advocacy that reflect the culture, priorities, and challenges of the community. The aim is to build a clearer understanding of rights-respecting maternity care and identify ways for everyone to contribute to its realisation.

Source: Doing Good Leeds