Have you accessed any maternity services or support in Birmingham or Solihull in the last three years?

We would love to hear about your experiences.

Birmingham and Solihull Maternity & Neonatal Voices Partnership is an NHS working group made up of a team of women, birthing people and their families working together with Clinicians (like midwives and obstetricians), Commissioners (like Council staff) and Community organisations to review and contribute to the development of local maternity and neonatal care.

We meet regularly online and in person, and attend antenatal clinics, community groups and other events.

We are keen to hear about your experiences with local maternity and/or neonatal services and would love for you to share your story with us, including what went well, what was memorable and even what you feel didn’t go so well or could have been improved throughout your journey. You can complete our survey online or get in touch and we can arrange a time to give you a call and have a chat.

Any extracts from what you say that are quoted  will be anonymous. You can find further information about Gateway Family Services (the hosts of the MVP) Data Protection, by visiting here. All electronic and paper copies will be stored safely and securely by Gateway Family Services.

If you would like to speak to one of us please email – bsolmvp@gatewayfs.org

I’m Katy, a mom of 5 from North Solihull. I am the LMNS Link Lead. It is my pleasure to listen to the voices of parents’ experiences of maternity services and feedback on your experiences in maternity systems. Our voices can contribute to change where needed, but also give positive messages to our maternity teams when the care received has been good for them. Our voices can make a difference.

Hi, I’m Laura, the lead for North Birmingham and Solihull. I’m the mother of two beautiful children who I absolutely adore, and I’m a stepmom to a child with SEND. I had two very different birth experiences with my children, which gives me a wider range in understanding and perspective of maternity services. I’m passionate about pregnancy and birth; it’s a life-changing experience! I believe it’s really important that women and their families are properly supported, and that the care they receive is personal to them, because pregnancy and birth is not ‘one size fits all’.

I feel privileged to speak to women about their experiences and give them a platform on which their voices can be heard and acted upon.

Hello I’m Sophiella, South Birmingham Lead. I am a mother of two birthed under the same trust, my youngest during the global pandemic in 2020. Both of my birth experiences were quite the opposite meaning I have a broad view of the maternity care system, antenatally and postnatally. My previous background working within community engagement and events, specifically for diverse groups, means I’ll connect with you from a place of lived experience and understanding. In the past I have stood in roles that amplify the voices of the people, something I feel very passionate about and hope to achieve within MNVP.

I want to support you by listening every step of the way and feeding back to the trust for improvements. I feel knowledge of birth rights is important and advocate for informed birth choices, HBAC/VBAC, maternal mental health provision and equality across maternity care – just a few of the reasons I became involved in the MNVP.

My hopes are to contribute towards better birth experiences and safer outcomes for all whilst acknowledging the disparities across the UK that require immediate action. Through MNVP, I will be serving the wider community of women, families and birthing people across Birmingham and Solihull, ensuring your voices feel heard, valued, and helping to instigate change.

Hello, I’m Almas Maan, one of the newly appointed Lead for the Birmingham & Solihull MNVP.

As I take on the role of MNVP, I am guided by a simple belief that every woman’s maternity journey is unique, teeming with transformative experiences. I’m thrilled to serve as an advocate for diverse voices within our community, ensuring that the needs and experiences of women and families from varied cultural and diverse backgrounds are heard, understood, respected and addressed.

I envision a future where women and their families are actively involved in shaping maternity care, effecting real and significant improvements. I’m passionate about creating safe spaces where everyone feels empowered to share their stories, opinions, and experiences with sensitivity and care.

These invaluable narratives will help us co-create new changes to maternity resources, processes and training that truly meet the needs of the women and families we serve.

I’m a mother of two wonderful children with unique birth stories, and I feel incredibly blessed to have them. Having also experienced two miscarriages, I understand the challenges women face. As the East Birmingham Lead at MNVP, I’m committed to raising the voices of all women, especially those from diverse backgrounds who may face language barriers, lack awareness of their rights, or feel hesitant to advocate for themselves. By listening and empowering them, I believe we can create meaningful change in our communities.

I’m a mom of four with different maternity experiences. I’m really looking forward to connecting with the community and hearing from other service users about their own encounters with maternity services, whether they are positive or negative. I’m also excited about co-producing with service providers to bring about positive changes in maternity services. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of mothers and birthing families.

Hello, my name is Laura and I am a proud micro preemie mum of twins, born at 25 weeks gestation during the Global Pandemic. I am passionate about making sure that neonatal voices are heard, after personally facing challenging times during my own neonatal journey. I can offer understanding and compassion when listening to experiences faced by service users, and will use this information to inform and work to improve maternity and neonatal services. Hearing voices from all communities is vital to create change and celebrate what is currently working well for families and their babies.