Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness for Mums and Babies: What Is Effective Intersectional Health and Wellbeing Support?

Pregnant women experiencing homelessness face multiple barriers when navigating service systems and accessing appropriate health and housing support. These obstacles are compounded by social structures such as race, class, disability, sexuality, faith and place, which are disproportionately linked to homelessness and poorer health outcomes. The consequences for pregnant women and their babies are serious with homelessness being associated with numerous health risks such as pre-term labour, low birth weight, and poorer perinatal outcomes. Without targeted health and housing support, it can also be difficult for women to keep their babies in their care once they are born. Despite these risks, few specialised services exist. There is a critical need for innovative and sustained models of integrated health and housing support that are accessible to those experiencing intersecting oppressions, and that enable women to commence motherhood positively rather than with fear and marginalisation.

This paper presents findings from an evaluation of the Cornelia Program. The first of its kind in Australia, the Cornelia Program is a partnership between health and housing providers that uses a multidisciplinary model of care to give pregnant women access to maternal and neonatal health services, supported accommodation, psychosocial support, and assistance to enter long-term housing. Empirical research was conducted through interviews and/or focus groups with pregnant women and new mothers, operational staff, senior managers, and external service providers. Additionally, comparative data analysis between routine perinatal data from Cornelia servicer users and birthing services at a maternity hospital was conducted to measure outcomes for women and their babies supported by the Cornelia Program. Through an exploration of the support provided by the Cornelia Program, this presentation will analyse what entails effective support for mothers and babies experiencing the multiple and coexisting deprivations associated with homelessness.