Campaigner warns maternity support for black mothers still not enough in East of England
A report's called for more data and better training around the issue
Last updated 13th Oct 2026
A solicitor who works with black mothers in Cambridgeshire and Essex believes many of them are still not being heard when it comes to maternity care.
Mental health charities are calling on local integrated care boards (ICBs) to give more detail around what's being done to better support black mothers.
"Why it's continuing to be a problem is either because there isn't acceptance from healthcare providers that this is an issue that needs to be addressed," Gwyneth Munjoma, who specialises in maternal negligence at Tees Law, said.
"Or, there is an assumption it's been addressed when it hasn't."
Lack of specific help for black mothers - report
A Freedom of Information request by the Centre for Mental Health (CFMH) found that after responses from 35 of England's 36 ICBs, most of them do not commission services for black maternal mental health.
Five of these ICBs do not hold information on these services.
The findings also show most ICBs lack a full scale of the work that's taking place in their area to tackle the issue, such as training delivered by community organisations.
Gwyneth - a former midwife in the NHS based in Chelmsford - works with women who have had an experience of maternal care and recalled one example where a client's concerns were ignored.
"This woman literally laboured alone for about 10 hours because the midwives kept on dismissing her, (thinking) 'this is your first baby, you may be dazed'," she said.
"By the time she was believed, she was nearly delivering, alone.
"It's quite devastating; you don't know whether you can say 'this is not what I'd like' or 'can I question this?' because you're not armed with that information."
More data will 'improve outcomes for black mothers'
A report by the CFMH, The Motherhood Group and the Maternal Mental Health Alliance found most perinatal mental health services ran by ICBs are available for all women rather than through specific commissioning.
The report said "due to limits to the data, it is difficult to say whether this provision meets the needs of black mothers or if it has positive outcomes for them."
One recommendation made in the report is for NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to develop clearer guidance for ICBs in how they monitor "culturally competent and trauma informed mental health services and training" for black mothers.
The report said black women and local communities should co-produce this guidance, as well as asking NHS England and DHSC for routine data on perinatal mental health experiences to be collected.
By doing so, the report stated this would enable "earlier identification of risk factors" and "improve outcomes for black mothers."
Another recommendation made was for ICBs to share examples of good practice, such as organisations who are already supporting black mothers through the likes of "anti-racism training to staff".
We have contacted NHS England and the DHSC for comment.
"The worst part is the mental health aspect; it affects a whole family," Gwyneth added.
"I would like to see a definite improvement in the attitude of staff, the provision of information and an appreciation of other cultures."