The need for sustainable funding for Indigenous doula services in Canada

Abstract

Objectives: To interview representatives from Indigenous doulas across Canada in order to document how they manage the logistics of providing community-based doula care and understand their challenges. These objectives inform the development of an Indigenous doula pilot programme as part of the project, ‘She Walks With Me: Supporting Urban Indigenous Expectant Mothers Through Culturally Based Doulas’. Methods: In 2020, semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of five Indigenous doula collectives across Canada. Interview transcripts were approved by participants and subsequently coded by the entire research team to identify key themes. Results: Our article explores one of the main themes that emerged from these interviews: sustainable funding for Indigenous doula services. Within this theme we identified two sub-themes: (1) limitations on and regulations for available funding and (2) negative impacts of limited funding on doula service. Conclusion: A major challenge to providing Indigenous community-based doula services is sustainable funding. Current models of funding for this work often do not provide livable wages and are bound by limited durations and regulations that are unsustainable and can be culturally inappropriate. Due to this lack of sustainable funding, Indigenous doula service in Canada faces challenges that include high staff turnover and burnout and lack of time and resources to provide culturally safe care, pursue professional development and additional training, and keep their services affordable for the families who need them. Future research is needed to ascertain potential programmes and funding streams for sustainable Indigenous doula support in Canada, including possible integration of doula care into the universal public health care system despite the jurisdictional challenges in providing health care for Indigenous peoples.

“I would love for there not to be so many hoops … ”: recommendations to improve abortion service access and experiences made by Indigenous women and 2SLGTBQIA+ people in Canada

“…Companionship, advocacy, and cultural safety are built into Indigenous models of doula care, 45 and emerging research demonstrates how doula care is a promising social intervention for improving abortion experience, access, and health equity outcomes. 47 , 48 However, the lack of funding available for Indigenous people to access doula care creates significant barriers for clients and for doulas. 45 , 46 , 49 To address participant recommendations for increasing access to abortion support, one possible strategy is to increase investments into doula services for Indigenous people.…”

Culturally Safe Neonatal Care: Talking With Health Practitioners Identified as Champions by Indigenous Families

“…Perinatal care that champions cultural safety as a fundamental requirement has the potential to improve perinatal outcomes ( Kildea et al, 2021 ; Marriott et al, 2019 ; Tipene-Leach & Abel, 2019 ; Wodtke et al, 2022 ). For example, an Indigenous model of Birthing on Country in Australia emphasises the importance of relationships, with culturally safe care an integral part of best practice medical care ( Kildea et al, 2021 , 2019 ).…”