Lost Mothers team wins Criminal Justice Alliance research award!

We were delighted to hear about the success of midwife Professor Laura Abbott at the University of Hertfordshire and team behind The Lost Mothers’ Study, winning the Research Excellence award at this year’s Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA) Awards. This inspiring project, described in a previous MRN blog post, explores the impact of the enforced separation of imprisoned mothers and newborn babies and has produced recommendations for policy reform within the criminal justice system and advocated for change. 

Three of England’s six Mother and Baby Units are in the East of England making this relevant to our region, and the project has demonstrated the national significance of these issues. Research shows that separating mothers from their babies can lead to severe mental health issues, including self-harm and suicide. Despite these risks, there is currently no standard guidance for prison and social care professionals on how to best support mothers during this process. The Lost Mothers’ study is the first of its kind to bring together the perspectives from professionals in social work, health visiting, midwifery, and the criminal justice system with the lived experiences of imprisoned women to explore the impact of enforced separation and inform improvements in the criminal justice system. 

The study reveals the significant pain and emotional toll that compulsory separation causes and highlights systemic issues within the criminal justice system, including inconsistent decision‑making, staff shortages, and insufficient training, which exacerbate the trauma experienced by mothers. 

The project partnered with the charity Birth Companions and worked with theatre company Clean Break and playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti to create a production based on the study’s interviews. The performance toured universities across the UK including University of East Anglia in February and was staged at the House of Commons.  

Laura said “This recognition reflects the strength and partnership of the women whose experiences underpin this work. Together, through co-produced research and creative collaboration, we are amplifying their voices and helping to shape new understandings of motherhood and justice.” 

The Lost Mothers work is supported by the Applied Research Collaboration East of England.