In this episode, I’m speaking with Janey Starling about the campaign to stop women from having to give birth in prison. This award-winning campaign began in response to shocking cases and a growing recognition that prison is a dangerous place for pregnancy and birth. There were at least two devastating cases in recent years: the death of Aisha Cleary after she was born at HMP Bronzefield, and a second baby who was stillborn at HMP Styal, in Wilmslow.
The campaign helped push through important changes in sentencing guidance, and the recent changes include that the Sentencing Council has now made pregnancy, childbirth, and post-natal care a specific factor in sentencing. That is important because it means judges are meant to think much more carefully about the impact of custody on women and babies. From April 2025, the guidance went further, saying courts should avoid prison for pregnant women unless it cannot be avoided. In other words, pregnancy is no longer treated as a side issue, and it should now be a serious reason to look for alternatives to custody. The conversation extends beyond the policy changes that have happened, and Janey talks us through how the campaign developed, tactics and strategy, and what still needs to be done.
Janey is Co-Director at Level Up, which campaigns to end the imprisonment of pregnant women and new mothers in England through public pressure, legal action and solidarity. They work to ensure courts stop sending pregnant women to prison and choose safe, community-based alternatives instead.
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