doula support – Doula School Canada

Join our experienced Doula Canada instructors for your IN-PERSON training!

Are you ready to fulfill your dream of becoming a doula? Prefer to learn in person?

Join us for our client-centred and trauma-informed hybrid doula course as we guide you through interactive teaching and hands-on demonstrations! The in-person workshop creates the opportunity for students to learn, hold space, and boost their confidence alongside peers and our experienced team of instructors.

The workshop will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time every day. Please note you must be in attendance all days in order to qualify for the in-person course requirements.

As part of your doula certification, you will be expected to complete online learning modules and related assignments alongside in-person training attendance.

*If you’d like to register for the Birth Doula AND Postpartum Doula please select that ticket.

By registering for this training,you acknowledge and agree to the following:

Your presence at the event in its totality, agreement to participate in a professional manner throughout the training. No partial credit can be awarded.

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Training Information & Eligibility:

You have read through the Resources and policies at www.doulatraining.ca, including but not limited to our Cancellation Policy, Equity & Inclusion Policy, Harassment and Discrimination Policy, and Complaint Policies & Procedures prior to registering. You acknowledge that all materials are taught in an in-person format and that the training is a part of the full course, including modules, quizzes, practicum, and exams.

There are no age or educational prerequisites for taking this program and DTC works with providers across many countries, with only limited exceptions. If you are a provider outside of Canada or the United States we recommend that you contact any local doula associations to ensure that our programs can be used for any required authorization.

Professionalism:
You will show up on time and be fully present for all days that you are expected to attend, and always in the spirit of professionalism You will reach out to our faculty or any staff if any unexpected issues arise. You agree to take full responsibility for addressing your needs in the area of accessible learning, self-care, and compassionate treatment of peers and DTC staff. The faculty and staff reserve the right to remove trainees at any time if the trainee creates an unsafe or unprofessional environment for you or other trainees, or for any reason that does not represent the policies of DTC.

Accommodation:
Doula Training Canada follows the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). We ask that if you are in need of any special accommodations that will allow you to take your training with us, please email us with special requests at least fourteen (14) days before the scheduled training. If, during the training, a need for an accommodation arises, you are expected to communicate with your instructor and/or DTC staff immediately and we will work with you to discuss the best possible solution.

Confidentiality:
You are asked to respect the confidentiality of other trainees and our staff during your time with DTC. Confidentiality with clients will be discussed by your trainer/s. Trainees who observe a problem with another trainee are asked to bring the problem to the lead trainer for the specific session or DTC administration, as per the set policies and guidelines. Similarly, if a staff member acts unprofessionally we ask that you email DTC administration as soon as possible.

Preparedness for doing your own work:
Throughout your training, you will be expected to participate in working through the training activities as a representative in the role of doula support or perinatal support. You are responsible for scheduling, discipline, and following through on projects and module expectations outside of this training session. In registering you recognize the set amount of time that you have access to the program and agree to work towards completion in the timeframe set forth by DTC and its vocational expectations. Mentoring can be accessed by emailing our staff at info@doulatraining.ca and we are always prepared to assist you if you communicate your questions or needs. Each program at DTC may have a slightly different timeframe and we encourage you to review these details prior to registering.

Please note that registration ends 2 days prior to the event[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Supporting Disabled Parents

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1650627316399{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Welcoming a new person into your home and the world is always an emotional and life-changing experience with so much joy, but also many challenges and adjustments. Imagine navigating all of the usual challenges, when additionally you can’t hear your baby’s cries, see if they are too hot or too cold, or don’t have the mobility to do diaper changes or easily lift your baby.

This is a reality for many new parents, and it’s a reality we don’t see reflected in popular culture or in services and support for new parents. Disabled people are rarely depicted in parenting roles, despite the fact that 1 in 8 birthing people identifies as having a disability. One of the features of ableism is that disabled people are infantilized and not seen as sexual beings. As a result of these stereotypical and inaccurate beliefs, disabled people are assumed to not be parents.

Additionally, until well into the 20th century, disabled people existed in a climate of eugenics, where many disabled people were unnecessarily advised not to reproduce and in some instances, sterilized against their will.

Even today, many disabled people report that they are discouraged from childbearing, and given inaccurate or misleading information about the impact of their disability on their fertility or ability to child bear.

There is a growing body of research that shows that perinatal care providers are woefully uninformed or misinformed about the needs of disabled pregnant people. Just finding a clinic with an accessible exam room and other disability accommodations can be challenging and severely limit provider choice. Physicians and midwives are not trained on the needs of disabled patients and they themselves report that they feel insecure providing care to disabled patients.

For parents who need assistance with newborn care, funded options are limited. In Ontario, there is a program called the Nurturing Assistance program. This program provides access to a support worker who can provide neonatal care under the parent’s direction, while the parent is present and involved in care. Support like this empowers parents to bond with their newborn while receiving assistance on their terms with the tasks that their disability limits them from performing.

While Nurturing Assistance is an excellent resource, there are many challenges with the current program. Firstly, only individuals who meet the criteria for the self-directed funding program are eligible for nurturing assistance. This means people who do not need a support person for their own activities of daily living, but who do need assistance with newborn care are not eligible for funding. As a result, only a small proportion of disabled parents in Ontario can receive support from this program.

Further, the support is usually provided by Personal Support Workers, often through agencies where the disabled parent is already receiving support. Personal Support Workers do not receive training on neonatal care and are often unwilling to accept such assignments or struggle to provide adequate support.

Disabled parents who do not qualify for the Nurturing Assistance program must pay for a support person out of pocket if this accommodation is needed.

Whether the support person is paid out of pocket or through public funding for the rare families who qualify, support from a postpartum doula is an excellent way for disabled parents to receive nurturing assistance. More disabled parents need to be aware that trained support from postpartum doulas is available, and that funding from the Nurturing Assistance program can be used to hire doulas. Doulas need to be competent and comfortable providing support to disabled parents. They are key members of the parenting community who can truly benefit from the skills we bring to the table.

On Thursday, April 28 at 5 PM EST, we are hosting a webinar on supporting disabled parents. The 90-minute webinar will provide doulas with insight into how ableism manifests in perinatal care and parenting spaces, and the challenges and support needs of parents with physical disabilities during the postpartum period. Doulas should walk away feeling competent and confident about welcoming disabled parents into their practice.

The session will feature presentations from Rebecca Wood, Coordinator of Parenting with a Disability Network, a program of Centre for Independent Living Toronto. Rebecca will provide an overview of resources available to disabled parents and more information on the Nurturing Assistance program.

Gillian Cullen, a full-spectrum doula with Birthmark will provide practical guidance on postpartum care based on her experience supporting physically disabled clients through the nurturing assistance program.

Most importantly, two disabled parents, Gabriela Carafa and Terri-Lynn Langdon will speak from their lived experiences regarding the challenges they faced, the accommodations they needed to parent, and the supports that did and did not work well.

This webinar, presented with closed captioning and Q&A available in the chat, is a vital opportunity for doulas to build capacity in the provision of anti-ableist, disability-affirming support.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_button corner_style=”full_rounded” size=”large” url=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/training/birthworkers-as-nurturing-assistants-support-for-disabled-parents/” target=”_blank” align=”center”]Register HERE for the Birthworkers as Nurturing Assistants Webinar[/mk_button][/vc_column][/vc_row]