Pregnant inside

25 August 2026

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but inside Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) correctional centres, that village begins to take shape long before the baby is born.

Governors, correctional officers, nurses and midwives, service integration staff, and drug and alcohol staff partner to care for pregnant women through pregnancy, birth and beyond, helping give mothers and babies the best possible start.

Justice Health NSW Substance Use in Pregnancy Coordinator Finbarr O'Neill has seen firsthand the difference that coordinated support can make.

"It's making a difference. Previously, it's been working in isolation but that's changed completely, which is to the benefit of the woman and the pregnancy and her baby."

"Providing the best possible support relies on a coordinated approach built on strong partnerships, mutual trust and a shared commitment to mothers and their babies."

The focus on supporting pregnant women aligns with the CSNSW Women's Strategy, which recognises the impact incarceration can have not only on women, but also on their children, families and communities. With 2 per cent of women in custody pregnant and 54 per cent mothers, the Strategy highlights the importance of providing safe, respectful and culturally responsive environments that strengthen connection, support rehabilitation and help reduce intergenerational harm.

The support begins early. All women entering custody are given a pregnancy test as part of the reception process and again four weeks later, ensuring pregnancies that may not be detectable on arrival are identified early and women are connected with appropriate care.

Mr O'Neill said strong connections between health professionals, correctional staff and support services were vital to achieving positive outcomes.

"You need those connections with everybody to get it done. It's the same way with the psychology team; it's the same way with parole. We all have a responsibility to every person in our care."

A growing concern

For Service Integration Manager Peta Dean, improving outcomes for pregnant women in custody began with a simple question: could CSNSW do more?

"We thought, hang on, this isn't okay. How can we improve the environment for pregnant women? Because supporting mothers during pregnancy gives babies the best possible start. We know a happy, healthier mum means a happier, healthier baby."

Working alongside Justice Health NSW and correctional staff, Ms Dean helped implement a range of initiatives aimed at improving the wellbeing of pregnant women in custody.

Among them was a review of the Inmate Food Services Policy, which provides additional nutritional support for pregnant and breastfeeding women measured against the Australian guidelines, including access to extra milk, bread, whole fruit and snack packs.

"It was particularly important that women with gestational diabetes receive the extra meals and nutritional support they need during pregnancy,” Ms Dean said.

“We wanted to ensure pregnant women had easy access to the additional healthcare and nutritional support they need throughout their pregnancy.”

Getting bigger by the day

Recognising the changing needs of mothers-to-be, staff from across CSNSW worked together to design and manufacture specialised bedding to improve comfort during pregnancy.

One enhancement is a specially designed mattress that provides greater comfort during pregnancy and could also benefit inmates living in aged and frail units.

"Our fabulous colleagues from the Upholstery Business Unit at Hunter Correctional Centre assisted us to design these to specification, almost doubling the thickness of the mattress,” Ms Dean said.

“This team also helped us to design the pregnancy body pillows, while the Textiles and Laundry Division worked with us to develop pillowcases to fit the new body pillows and ensure everything is kept hygienic."

Another partnership, between our Parenting Stream and the Digital Production Unit, led to the development of Bump and Beyond, a week-by-week pregnancy journal featuring health tips, activities, mindfulness exercises, and memory pages.

Co-designed with input from pregnant women in custody, the journal is a practical resource and personal keepsake, helping women document their pregnancy journey while connecting them with support services, healthcare and information for themselves and their baby.

“With supports like this in place we are helping women nurture a stronger connection with their baby,” Mr O’Neill said.

“This book is a huge positive for the women and their babies.”

Mothers’ group

The new initiatives also include monthly support group meetings, giving pregnant women from across the state an opportunity to join each other online, share experiences and access information in a supportive environment.

The sessions allow the women to learn from healthcare professionals, ask questions, and connect with others navigating pregnancy while in custody.

By bringing women together from different locations, the meetings help build peer networks and ensure everyone receives the same information and support throughout their pregnancy journey.

"We wanted to create an opportunity where all the women could come together, hear the same information at the same time and know they're not alone in their pregnancy," Ms Dean said.

"The monthly meetings give them a chance to support each other, ask questions and learn from one another's experiences. Sometimes a woman will hear another person ask a question she hadn't thought of, or one she was too nervous to ask herself, and that's incredibly valuable."

For the women taking part, the initiatives are about more than healthcare, nutrition, or practical support. They are about feeling seen, supported and connected during one of the most important periods of their lives.

“We’ve made massive progress, absolutely, which is wonderful,” Ms Dean said.

As that village of care continues to grow, so too does the opportunity to improve outcomes for mothers and babies, helping create stronger beginnings and brighter futures long before a child takes their first breath.