Receiving the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust funding has been instrumental in enabling me to undertake my Master’s degree and carry out vital research exploring the experiences of midwives who care for women and families affected by the UK immigration restriction known as No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
This policy affects approximately 1.4 million migrants, including a significant number of women and children, who are excluded from most state welfare services, including essential aspects of maternity and child health support.
With the support of the Iolanthe Trust, I was able to undertake my Master’s degree which enabled me to conduct a qualitative research project focused on midwives working with NRPF-affected women. Through a series of focus groups with health, social care and local authority staff across England, I analysed midwives’ specific insights, using thematic analysis to identify common challenges and areas of concern in their practice.
Four core themes emerged: communication and collaborative working, emotional labour, resource and funding constraints, and knowledge and training gaps. The study found that midwives often struggled with communication breakdowns—not only with the women they care for, but within the wider multi-agency networks.
Many described the emotional burden of supporting women in highly vulnerable circumstances, often going beyond their formal duties due to compassion and professional commitment. A significant lack of resources and clarity about available support for NRPF families further complicated care. Finally, inconsistencies in training and knowledge about NRPF left midwives feeling ill-equipped and
unsupported.
This research underscores how immigration policy and fragmented care systems can limit the ability of midwives to provide safe, equitable care. Yet, despite these challenges, the resilience and ethical dedication of midwives shone through.
Their voices revealed a deep desire to advocate for better care pathways, clearer guidance, and greater institutional support to meet the needs of all women, regardless of immigration status. The Iolanthe funding not only made my participation in this research possible, but also validated the importance of centring marginalised voices, both of migrant women and the midwives who care for them.
Personally, this support has empowered me to contribute meaningfully to the evidence base in an under-researched area of maternity care. Professionally, it has strengthened my resolve to champion equity and compassion in practice and policy.
Ultimately, this research contributes to wider calls for maternity care systems that are fair, inclusive and responsive.
By highlighting the lived experiences of midwives, it can help shape training, resource allocation, and policy reforms that benefit women, birthing people, babies and their families - particularly those currently pushed to the margins of care.
