Pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and motherhood are exclusively female statuses and capabilities.

 

Therefore:

1. The bond between mother and baby is to be treated with paramountcy within all penal facilities that cater to the specific needs of pregnant girls and women that are incarcerated.

2. Specialised facilities that are suited to cater to the special and ongoing needs of mother and baby (toddler, child) should be available when needed for pregnant women and mothers that are incarcerated.

3. All measures and efforts should be taken to keep mother and baby together for the duration of the mothers’ sentence, as far as is practical.

4. Physical restraints should not be used on incarcerated girls and women during labour, during birth and immediately after birth.

5. Separation of baby from mother should be kept to a minimum and only occur if absolutely necessary.

6. When a baby or child must be separated from its mother for alternative living arrangements, all efforts must be made for the mother to retain guardianship of her baby or babies/child(ren).

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We support calls to raise the age of criminality in Australia from 10 years old to at least 14 years old. Keeping the bond strong between mother and baby, or mother and child, while mother is incarcerated is a different matter entirely.