6 May 2025

Last week, several of our brilliant social work colleagues - Shane Ronan, Vicky Hayden, Alice Yglesias Linda Albert, and Stephanie Grahovac - spoke at the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers (NAPSW) Annual Conference.

This year’s conference brought together perinatal social workers from across USA and Canada to share insights and build connections.

Initially, the conference organisers reached out to CNWL’s Perinatal Social Work Lead, Susan Bray, because they wanted to learn more about specialist perinatal support in the UK, which doesn’t exist for our American and Canadian counterparts.

Our team presented a session on the unique challenges faced by perinatal social workers in the UK. They discussed working with asylum seekers, refugees, sex workers, care leavers and young mothers, many navigating complex issues. They also highlighted the importance of culturally informed care, collaboration with local community leaders, and providing wrap-around support in partnership with NHS services and the voluntary sector.

The presentation emphasised what social work brings to perinatal care, and our colleagues shared powerful case studies and lived experience voices to underline the importance of addressing stigma.

Speaking at the event, Vicky Hayden, Social Worker from our Milton Keynes perinatal services said:

"We help make things feel less formal and more approachable. We often de-medicalise conversations, and create space for honest, person-centred dialogue. Sometimes, what people need most is a supportive, informal chat."

More on the event here: NAPSW 2025 Annual Conference