Guiding principles

If you’re thinking about setting up your own Maternal Journal group, we’ve put together some Principle and Practice guidelines and a toolkit to help you get started. Please read the below information carefully.

If you decide to set up a group, you should first contact us, and we will help guide and support you and to make sure you have everything you need.

Maternal Journal groups

safeguarding and confidentiality

Maternal Journal groups are designed for anyone experiencing the emotional and physical changes and challenges in pregnancy, birth and new parenthood. 

Maternal Journal groups are generally not recommended for people with a history of severe mental health problems, unless you have specialist perinatal mental health training or are working in a context such as a perinatal mental health service or Mother & Baby Unit. Journaling often brings up strong feelings and emotions, and the workshop leader should have enough experience to manage any situation. They must also be aware of how to support, signpost and possibly escalate to other services, such as local psychiatric, mental health and social support. Unless the workshop leader feels a participant is a danger to themselves or others, all information disclosed in the group should be kept confidential. 

We recommend any workshop leader have an advanced DBS and Professional Indemnity Insurance. These will be in place if the person is a health care professional and running a group with clients. However, anyone independent should consider putting this in place. Maternal Journal is not liable for any adverse outcome due to the use of any of our materials.

Facilitation

not-for-profit

Maternal Journal groups should be non-commercial and not generate any profit for the organisers – financial contributions from group members should only be charged to cover materials and costs directly associated with running the group. 

The costs could include hiring a space, providing materials and refreshments and the facilitator’s time (identified by guidelines such as recommended fees from a professional body).

You can find more information and support on how set up a group in our Maternal Journal Toolkit.