Maternity Outreach Service

The Women’s Aid Maternity Outreach Service provides support, information and advocacy to women who are experiencing domestic abuse and who are receiving Maternity Care from the three Dublin based Maternity hospitals – The Rotunda Hospital, The National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street and The Coombe Hospital.

This service is free, non-judgmental, woman-centred and confidential.

Who can use the service?

Any woman who is:

  • Over 18 years of age.
  • Living in Dublin.
  • In need of support around the issue of domestic violence and abuse.
  • Engaged with any of the three maternity hospitals mentioned above and currently or recently in receipt of maternity care (pregnancy, post-partum, pregnancy loss and termination).

What support will I receive?

The Women’s Aid Maternity Outreach Support Worker will provide you with short-term, focused support and advocacy.  This includes:

  • Providing space and time for you to discuss your situation.
  • Supporting you to identify your priorities and your needs.
  • Providing you with information and practical support around legal, immigration, housing and crisis accommodation options.
  • Accompanying you to court.
  • Providing you with practical financial support such as home security costs and/or emergency subsistence needs. These are assessed on a case-by-case basis according to need and subject to funding availability.
  • Signposting to appropriate counselling services.
  • Referring you to the Women’s Aid High-Risk Support Project, if required.
  • Linking you with longer-term domestic abuse support in your local community.

When is this service available?

This service is open from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Women and staff can access the Women’s Aid 24hr National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900 and Instant Message Support Service on this website outside of our opening hours.

How can women make contact with this service?

  • Medical Social Workers in the three Maternity Hospitals can refer can refer women directly to the Women’s Aid Maternity Project Outreach Support Worker.
  • Women can also self-refer to this service by ringing the 24 hour National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900 or using the Instant Message Support Service on womensaid.ie.