Code of Conduct for Doulas

Scope of Practice

The doula industry is an unregulated industry, which means there is no legal requirement for minimum training or certification in Australia, however to enhance and promote a credible reputation for our industry the Doula Training Academy provides a comprehensive training course that has been compiled from extensive market research and interviewing doulas and birth workers to find out what they felt was lacking or needed to be included to ensure that doulas can work across all areas of birth, including our highly medicalised maternity system.

Doulas are non-medical professionals trained to provide continuous support to a client and her partner before, during and after childbirth. This can apply to a client planning a physiological birth, home birth, hospital birth or a planned caesarean and would include various tools and techniques to support the couple in the following way:

  • Mentally
  • Physically
  • Emotionally
  • Education
  • Information and resources
  • Spiritually / Holistically
  • Virtually

Obstetricians, midwives, and nurses are responsible for managing and monitoring labour, assessing the medical condition of the client and baby, and treating complications when they arise; but birth is also an emotional, energetic, and spiritual experience with a long-term impact on a woman’s / birthing person’s personal wellbeing on all levels.

Doulas DO NOT provide any type of medical care; however, they do provide evidence-based information and research to help their clients gain a better understanding of medical procedures, the risks, the benefits, the alternatives and encourage the couple to ask all the right questions to get all the information they need to make an informed choice for their birth.

Research also shows that Doulas help to lower caesarean rates and interventions because they are completely focused on the clients’ needs and not the medical environment.

At the Doula Training Academy, we recognise that it is not just about being present at a clients birth – there is so much more to being a doula.

Being a doula is about “listening” to your client, so you hear and acknowledge her hopes, fears, and doubts.

It is about “open and honest discussion” to develop a birth plan that encourages autonomy, alternatives, and choices.

It is about building “rapport” with the client and her partner so that they trust you.

It is about “eliminating your ego” as you can never think you know it all – every day you must strive to learn something new or different, and that will always highlight you as a quality service that provides the couple with “satisfaction that exceeds their expectations.”

These are the LORES of the Doula Training Academy:

L = Listen to the pregnant client

O = Open discussion to develop a birth plan of wants and needs

R = Rapport building to establish trust

E = Eliminating your own ego – high professionalism & integrity

S = Satisfaction of service that exceeds their expectations!

 

The way a client feels about her birth and the way she is treated during her labour and birth can and will have an enormous effect on her postpartum experiences, so Doulas ensure that the client is feeling safe, calm, heard, supported, and respected.

It is important for doulas who are training or have trained through the Doula Training Academy to agree to our Code of Conduct and Scope of Practice over the following three areas, which may cross over all three areas.

  • Client
  • Colleagues
  • Community

 

Clients

  • The DTA doula acknowledges that they have an obligation to ensure they are providing a high standard and reliable service to their clients at all times.
  • The DTA doula will treat their client, family members and the birth team, including care providers, with respect and be courteous and kind.
  • The DTA doula will provide privacy and confidentiality to all clients. This includes not sharing publicly that you are attending a birth, or announcing a birth, or sharing photos of your client and their birth story without written permission from your client.
  • The DTA doula will honour the decisions and choices of their client without judgement or discrimination.
  • The DTA doula will provide a high level of verbal and written communication to ensure there are no misunderstandings or assumptions.
  • The DTA doula will provide a comprehensive contract to their client outlining the following:
    • Scope of Practice
      What services are included and what is not included such as a doula not performing restrictive birthing practices or any clinical assessment, diagnosis, or medical advice.
    • Terms and conditions
    • Fee schedule
      • What is your deposit amount?
      • When is that due?
      • Is that non-refundable?
      • What is the balance amount?
      • When is that due?
      • Do you provide payment plans?
    • What is your on-call period?
    • What is your refund policy – what happens if you miss the birth, or it falls outside of your on-call period, or you are sick?
    • What happens if there are COVID-19 restrictions?
    • What are your back-up doula options.
  • The DTA doula will provide a Grievance Policy within their contract so that if the client has any concerns or is not happy with your service, then they know what the steps are to discuss with you and how to end the contract and the refund process.
  • The DTA doula will refer a client onto another professional if it is not within their Scope of Practice.
  • The DTA doula understands her primary role is to her client.
  • The DTA doula will advocate for the client based on their birth plan and discussions, but not interfere with medical procedures.
  • The DTA doula will maintain detailed record-keeping for every client.
  • The DTA doula will provide accurate and evidence-based information to their client in a timely manner and will clearly outline if the information provided is not an evidence-based article but is more a blog or opinion piece.
  • The DTA doula will ensure they are providing comfort measures to their client which are designed to lessen discomfort and enhance coping for the client. The doula will know and understand any contraindications for performing the tools and techniques for comfort measures.
  • The DTA doula acknowledges they are not “managing” any part of the pregnancy, labour, or birth of the client as this is considered a restrictive birthing practice.

 

Doula Profession and Colleagues

  • The DTA doula will be accountable for their own business as a separate entity from Doula Training Academy and are responsible for all decisions they make and actions that they take within their business.
  • The DTA doula recognises that we are all unique individuals who may have differing opinions or beliefs so will acknowledge this without judgement or discrimination.
  • The DTA doula will maintain high standards of integrity and ethics at all times.
  • The DTA doula will treat their colleagues and care providers with respect and be courteous and kind.
  • The DTA doula will work within their scope of practice and will not diagnose or give medical advice.
  • The DTA doula will provide advocacy not aggression.
  • The DTA doula will collaborate with other doulas rather than compete against them, no matter where other doulas have trained.
  • The DTA doula will strive to develop and maintain positive working relationships within the doula and birth worker community and with other professionals.
  • The DTA doula will maintain current First Aid and CPR training.
  • The DTA doula will obtain a Working with Children Check if asked to do so by a client or will refer the client to another colleague.
  • The DTA doula will undertake continuing professional development (CPD) to ensure that they are up to date with the latest research.
  • The DTA doula will ensure that they have insurance to cover themselves for public and professional liability.
  • The DTA doula agrees to undertake regular debriefing sessions after births, particularly ones that may be considered traumatic with an independent person, counsellor, friend, or colleague for their own self-care.
  • The DTA doula will only be permitted to use the Doula Training Academy Australia logo upon completion of the training and while working as an active doula.
  • The DTA doula will respect boundaries of others without judgement.
  • The DTA doula will ask questions and seek answers.

 

Community

  • The DTA doula will maintain the integrity of the doula profession and will continue to promote and educate about the role of doulas in the community.
  • The DTA doula will raise awareness of what a doula does and what a doula does not do and how the doula profession is different to the role of a midwife.
  • The DTA doula will not use language that would imply that they can replace medical support.
  • The DTA doula will provide an accurate representation of their training and experience if asked by their client, colleague, or a community member.
  • A DTA doula will provide evidence-based information on how a doula can be of benefit and the value of having a doula.
  • The DTA doula will maintain respect, integrity and courtesy towards others when sharing information or their opinion on social media.
  • The DTA doula understands that all families are different and not everyone is open to the work that is offered by doulas.

By enrolling in any of the Doula Training Academy courses, you agree to abide by the Code of Conduct and Scope of Practice of Doula Training Academy Australia.

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