You will come away understanding the complexity of domestic abuse and how it affects women alongside the experiences of expectant mothers and those returning from maternity leave. This session brings together two experts in the field: Ashleigh Hitter from Hestia’s ‘Everyone’s Business’ campaign and Dr Arabella Ashfield from Ascending Motherhood. Collectively they will share valuable insight into the unseen challenges faced by women in relation to domestic abuse and early motherhood. Knowing what the risks are, what the signs are, and how to respond to domestic abuse concerns will allow you to develop expert-informed employee policies and support strategies. Knowing how expectant and returning mothers feel about their careers and what support is useful will help you tailor your processes to enhance the employee experience, encourage productivity and support staff retention. Come away from the session being informed on the facts, with knowledge of best practice, and clear actions which can shape your approach to supporting women in the workplace.
This 60-minute session will include time for some questions at the end and the presenters will remain available afterwards to answer any outstanding queries.
List the objectives:
- What is domestic abuse and how does this intersect with pregnancy, maternity leave and returning to work?
- How women feel about their careers across the pregnancy, maternity leave and return journey.
- Recognise some of the signs of domestic abuse and how to establish support mechanisms if, as a member of HR, you are concerned about a colleague or have received a disclosure.
- What women commonly feel in the first few months of returning to work and how to support the process.
- Embedding a pro-active, safe workplace culture that integrates domestic abuse considerations into existing maternity and wellbeing policies
- What principles to apply and plans to put in place to effectively support an effective return, and support returners holistically.
