The Lost Mothers project: Why We Brought This Research to the Stage

Women make up just 4% of the prison population, yet over 80% are incarcerated for non-violent offences. Many arrive in prison carrying the weight of poverty, abuse, domestic violence, and substance use struggles. Among them are pregnant women – 229 were in custody in 2023, with 53 babies born in prison. But the true number of mothers separated from their babies remains unknown.

Despite decades of policy debates, there was little understanding of what women go through when they are separated from their newborns due to criminal justice involvement. Even less was known about the systems making these decisions. The University of Hertfordshire’s ESRC funded Lost Mothers Project, a collaboration with Birth Companions and a team of women with lived experience, set out to change that.

Our research took us inside five prisons, where we spoke with 29 women who had been separated from their babies or were facing separation. We also interviewed 47 staff members and observed mother-and-baby decision-making boards. What we uncovered was overwhelming. Women described the moment of separation as a violent tearing, a grief so devastating that some said it felt like their hearts had been ripped from their bodies. In a system that does not recognise their pain, many felt forced to suppress their emotions, leading to severe mental health struggles, self-harm, and isolation.

Prison officers, midwives, and social workers all play a role in these decisions, but they are often unprepared for the ethical and emotional weight they carry. Officers receive little to no training on supporting vulnerable mothers, while midwives and social workers are frequently stretched between advocacy and systemic constraints. Some staff were deeply affected by the suffering they saw, but the structures around them offered few solutions.

Why a play?

Because words on a page, reports, and presentations could never fully capture this experience. The emotions, the loss, the injustice – these needed to be seen, felt, and understood in a way that statistics and policy documents simply couldn’t convey. Theatre has the power to bring these hidden realities to life.

Working with Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti and Clean Break, we translated our research into a performance that forces audiences to confront what separation really means for these women. The play is shaped by the voices of those who lived it – our lived experience team has been central in guiding the script and ensuring their realities are accurately represented.

Beyond exposing these painful truths, the play also highlights the vital work of women’s organisations and campaigners pushing for change. It serves as a reminder that compassion, reform, and better alternatives exist and are urgently needed.

The relationships behind this work – Birth Companions, Clean Break, and the women who bravely shared their stories existed long before the Lost Mothers research began. This play is a result of years of trust, collaboration, and commitment to ensuring these experiences are no longer ignored.

Listen to Laura talking about the work on BBC Woman’s Hour.

Visit the Lost Mothers project.

Dr Laura Abbott