“Homelessness among pregnant and parenting women is an issue of growing concern in Australia,” says Dr Theobald.
“Our paper is the first to examine this issue using the conceptual framework of affective injustice, which refers to what can occur when people are deprived of safe, secure relationships, love, care and solidarity.”
Through case studies, Dr Theobald found that pregnant and parenting women experiencing homelessness endure immense hardship.
“This study found that a lack of safe housing, economic deprivation and experiences of violence and neglect characterised the women's experiences before and during their pregnancies.”
“These conditions produce affective injustice, which impedes women from accruing the resources that come from building safe, secure relationships,” she explains.
“We also found that when caring relations became available including through professional services, the women experienced significant changes which affected them and their children's lives.”
Dr Theobald says the study provides insight into how to better support pregnant women experiencing homeless.
“Supportive community services enable caring relations and assist women to obtain housing and pregnancy support and prepare for the birth.”
“By housing pregnant women early, we can enable them to settle in an environment where they can begin to shift their priorities from survival, foster a maternal identity and imagine their lives as mothers.”
